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Press Association -- Children will be taught happiness lessons, education bosses have said.

Pupils at primary, secondary and special schools in North Tyneside will learn about emotional balance, empathy and ethics in a two-year project with Durham University.

The announcement followed a proposed revamp of the national primary school curriculum, with the suggestion that schools scrap traditional lessons that focus on one subject in favour of cross-curricular studies.

As part of the happiness lessons, teaching will include philosophy and critical thinking, there will be quiet spaces for reflection and links with other schools abroad will be developed.

Special days and weeks of lessons could be given a happiness theme, and music and arts lessons will tap into children's creativity.

The ideas will be trialled at nine secondary schools and 21 primary schools, including two special schools, which will work together to test and evaluate new methods of developing an understanding of happiness.

North Tyneside Council said teaching will also look at topics as diverse as children's personalities and how they see themselves, their heritage and identity, values, giving, role models, spirituality and reasoning.

Norma Redfearn, Cabinet member for Children, Young People and Learning, said: "Education is its most successful when it enables young people to lead fulfilling lives, and be the best they can be.

"We aim to develop emotional balance, empathy and ethics in our young people so they can flourish with an understanding of others, a commitment to others, their community, society and the world at large and a sense of self.

"It's all about taking a more holistic approach to child development, and sits alongside our commitment to developing first class teaching and building world class learning environments, to ensure the very best opportunities for our children and young people."