CHILDREN taking the leap to senior school will have an extra help thanks to new sponsored community-based initiatives.

Two schools will launch schemes thanks to cash boosts from Barclays New Future.

Grants will go towards buddy projects and activity days between Year 6 and 7 students at St Bede's Specialist Sports School in Blackburn and encouraging St Paul's CE pupils in Hoddlesden to develop links with other feeder primaries before heading off to Darwen Moorland. The aim is to make the transition to senior school easier for 11-year-olds. There are seven Lancashire and Cumbria schools to win the award and 69 nationally.

St Paul's school plans to organise events for their pupils, partner schools and two communities before they move to high school.

At St Bede's the £10,000 will be pay for outdoor activity days to help team-build and break down barriers.