Students from Falmouth Marine School visited Halwin Primary in Porkellis and built them a special reading boat and bookshelves.

The boat will be a focal point in the school's Robins classroom to encourage children to pick up a book by providing them a fun space.

Falmouth Marine School's visit followed the primary school's trip to their boatyard in October where pupils were shown boatbuilding techniques.

Off the back of that visit, Falmouth Marine School students offered to make the children their very own boat for the classroom.

Vicky Tamblin, teacher at Halwin School, said the children loved visiting the boatyard and were "super excited to come back".

“They have already planned what we will do with it in classroom and what books will go on the shelves,” she added.

Dennis, aged six, was delighted when he saw the finished project. Especially the small mouse named Rodney that sits at the top of the snug. “I love the mouse, he might creep into the books,” he explained.

Student Philip Clarke, who is into his first term on the Boatbuilding level three course said it was “nice to put something back into the community and great to encourage children”.

“As the construction was the same as building a full size boat, I learnt a lot from it, bending clicker planks and such,” he continued.

“I was delighted to take it on, five months ago I would have been clueless of where to start, but I have already developed an abundance of skills and knowledge thanks to the tutors at Falmouth Marine School.”

Located in the heart of the boatbuilding industry at Ponsharden, the boatbuilding courses and apprenticeships equip students with both traditional and modern boatbuilding techniques.

As the boatbuilding principles used were the same as those which would be used for a full sized boat, Boatbuilding Tutor Simon Combe, said the college was delighted to support the project.

“Live projects are an integral part of the boatbuilding courses,” he explained.

“We work with a multitude of employers on live projects and work experience placements. This provides the students with first class experience in the industry which is proving to lead directly to employment.”

Students have built a prototype for a new generation of sailboat, worked on the creation of a replica Viking boat for an exhibition at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall and built a Viking Prow, for a centre piece at Chelsea garden Show, to name a few.

For more information about Falmouth Marine School please visit www.falmouthmarineschool.ac.uk or call 01326310310.