The Times - Sheffield Girls’ pupils to learn comedy — so they’ll be taken seriously

Most schools have a class clown, but one headteacher is encouraging more pupils to play the fool.

Stand-up comedy lessons have been introduced at Sheffield Girls’ School to teach sixth-formers how to deal with hecklers and silence and could help girls to cope with job interviews, negotiate at work and give them the confidence to ask for a pay rise.

The comedy club is an alternative to debating societies, developing similar skills among those put off by formal rhetoric and argument.

Nina Gunson, head of the school, is teaching the comedy lessons and has started with eight girls for eight weeks. Pupils could end up performing in front of bigger audiences at the school.

Mrs Gunson said: “We’ve got many types of girls at the school. You’ve got to find different types of ways to develop skills, so they can find their own confidence, their own ways to push themselves forward. Lots of our girls do things like debating, public speaking but those things aren’t for everybody. They put off as many girls as they attract. They really do require a certain skillset and personality type.

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