Heads back £50m Bolton schools cash boost

12:49pm Wednesday 7th May 2008

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HEADTEACHERS in Bolton say a new £50 million Government initiative to boost GCSE results will pay dividends.

Bolton education authority will receive a slice of the cash handed out as part of the Government's Greater Manchester Challenge to raise standards in its schools.

The money will go towards paying for extra teachers, with students promised "intensive support" ahead of exams.

But headteachers in Bolton say the strength of the scheme lies in its partnership working among schools.

Headteacher at Turton School in Bromley Cross, John Porteous, said: "Schools in Bolton have been working together in clusters for the past four years.

"The principle behind this scheme is the same as cluster working, where headteachers share ideas to improve performance.

"A similar project in London worked because heads would partner with other schools which may have been experiencing difficulties."

The scheme is aimed at making sure at least 30 per cent of pupils at every secondary school gain five A* to C grades including maths and English at GCSE by 2011.

Bolton's most recent schools performance tables show the borough has five schools which fall below the target - George Tomlinson, Harper Green, Hayward, Ladybridge and Withins.

The initiative was officially launched at The Lowry Centre in Salford Quays by Children and Young People's Minister Beverley Hughes yesterday.

Headteacher at Withins School in Breightmet, Phil Mather said: "This initiative is an extension of the work schools have already been doing in sharing best practice.

"It is good that the Government has recognised that schemes like this do work. The extra money will help further the work we are already doing."

Results at Withins Schools have soared in recent years.

A similar initiative to drive up standards in the capital's school, called the London Challenge, saw standards improve in the most deprived areas of the city.

The measures saw London achieve its best ever GCSE results in 2006, with 45.8 per cent of pupils achieving five good GCSE grades including the two core subjects, ahead of the national figure of 44.1 per cent.