A small business is investing in an educational programme for schools.

Honister Slate mine has developed a science, technology, engineering and maths programme designed to support learning and promote closer relationships between industry and schools.

Since June around 120 students from four Cumbrian schools have taken part in hands-on activities to get a taste of the mining industry - both now and in the past.

This is thanks to the educational relationship being forged between Honister Slate Mine the Primary Business Partnership and local primary school teachers.

The education team at the mine have developed a flexible set of STEM learning resources for key stage one and key stage two; focusing on social history and industry; economics with past, present and future entrepreneurs and geography and geology.

These can be delivered in workshop sessions in the schools, or at the mine in Borrowdale combined with a guided tour.

Jan Wilkinson, co-owner at the mine, said: "Working with local schools more closely is something we’ve been keen to do for a long time. We’ve invested time into creating this new set of learning resources to help support teachers in the classroom and on trips to the mine. By providing real industry role models we aim to give these young people insights into what a future career might be, but also to support the curriculum learning goals in geology, geography, history and society."

Teachers can contact Honister or Primary Business Partnership to find out more.