A BLACKBURN teacher has attended the first ever national event for consultant primary heads in a bid to improve standards.

Schools Minister Stephen Twigg hosted the conference for the teachers, who work with schools in their area, to raise standards.

Gaynor Stubbs, head of Wensley Fold for six years, is one of four heads chosen for the job in Blackburn and Darwen and one of a thousand nationally.

She joined Elaine Grimshaw, headteacher at St Mary and St Joseph in Bennington Street, Blackburn, and two retired teachers for the trip to London.

All the primary consultant heads have received specific training from the government about how to carry out their extra role -- sharing ideas and tips with other schools' management teams.

Mrs Stubbs, who was appointed nine months ago, said the initial four days training in Birmingham last year emphasised how the primary strategy should be focused on in terms of raising standards.

"The event in London featured several key note speeches aimed at getting the message across that headteachers should work together," she said.

"The idea is that as a consultant head I work with other leaders and act as a facilitator to help them out.

"It is like having another pair of eyes -- maybe there is something they have missed or an idea I could help with.

"It is a very useful initiative. To have someone come in to share issues with you. Being a head can be a very lonely and isolating job sometimes and it is very reassuring to have a peer that comes in and might be able to say they have experienced a similar problem.

"The best thing is I am learning too when I visit other schools and see how they may have handled certain problems."

It is hoped that more consultant teachers will be appointed when funding is available. At present 14 primaries will benefit from the team of four.

A spokesperson for the Department for Education and Skills said: "The primary consultant heads initiative was part of the national primary strategy and is about raising standards at a variety of levels."