MAGICIANS are on a mission to help make learning fun in Scottish schools during the run-up to Christmas.

Magic School on the Road is a touring workshop presenting free-of-charge magic lessons to pupils who would otherwise have missed out on seeing Edinburgh MagicFest events.

National Lottery Awards for All Scotland and the Kiran’s Trust charity support the initiative, which is touring seven primaries and secondaries in the capital and Falkirk in areas of deprivation. Magic School on the Road takes some of the activities from popular Magic School workshop, which takes place during the magic festival, and conjures them up for children in the classroom.

Magic School headmaster Gary James who has been running the Edinburgh International Magic Festival’s Magic School for a decade, said: “A lot of the children have never seen a live magic performance before, so it’s a treat for them, and there’s a lot hidden away in there of real educational value.”

MagicFest organisers Svetlana McMahon and her magician husband Kevin Quantum, piloted Magic School on the Road last year and felt it had real potential.

McMahon said: “This year is the 10th annual MagicFest and we wanted to do something really special.

“Not every child can get along to festival events like Magic School so we thought that we would go on the road and take it to their schools. And while on one level it’s all about having lots of fun, magic is a great way to get kids learning.”