SCHOOLS in Lancashire are set to share in £3m worth of funding to help raise literacy and numeracy levels in primary schools - teaching the three "Rs".

The sum of just over £100,000 will buy training for Specialist Teaching Assistants to support qualified staff who teach reading, writing and arithmetic, particularly to five to seven-year-olds.

There are around a hundred teaching assistants in the county including nursery nurses, bi-lingual assistants and non-teaching assistants who work voluntarily or are sometimes paid.

Stan Wright, chairman of Lancashire County Council's education committee said: "The government has not funded education properly in the last five years and we're not going to get more teachers so, of any money made available to local authorities, we must bid for every penny.

"Lancashire has done pretty well from the bid and the money will help our teachers meet the requirements of the national curriculum. The assistants do a good job and any extra guidance would only benefit our children.

"Providing the teaching assistants have GCSE maths and English and the full support of the head-teacher they could go forward for specialised training at Edge Hill or St Martin's colleges lasting for some weeks, probably starting in September when the new academic year begins.

"And if there are more assistants than resources allow for we will have to ration funds."

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