TEACHERS from East Lancashire have been promised "lots of Southern hospitality" when they head for the United States in a bid to raise standards in Blackburn with Darwen.

Senior teachers from Cedars County Infant School, Intack County Primary, St Aidan's and Darwen Vale, will be jetting off to Phenix, Alabama this Sunday, as part of the Teachers International Development scheme.

Adrian Woods, School Improvement Officer for Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, said: "We've been promised lots of Southern hospitality so, knowing the eating habits in the American South, we're going in baggy trousers."

Funded by the Department for Education and Skills, the scheme is aimed at getting experienced teachers to share good practice on an international level, in the hope of bringing the best aspects of the world's schools back home.

Mr Woods added: "Phenix has many disadvantaged children and its schools have struggled in the past, but it has managed to turn itself around so hopefully we will be able to learn a great deal from them. The teachers will then come back and take part in conferences so they can relate what they have learned to other teachers.

"In this way the scheme benefits not just the schools who are sending teachers but all the schools in the borough."

The DfES gives an extra £3m a year to Local Education Authorities to fund the Teachers International Development scheme.

A spokesperson for the DfES said: "The scheme helps to raise children's standards and improve teachers' job satisfaction.

"The main focus of the programme is to enable teachers to see good practice in other countries at first hand and apply that knowledge back at home."

Each of the four schools have identified areas which need improvement, and will look to the schools in Phenix for new ideas and advice.

Sharon Thomas, of Intack County Primary School, is one of the nine teachers making the trip.

She said: "The children are very excited about this trip as I'm going to try to set them all up with Phenix pen pals.

"I think it will be very interesting to see how things are done over there, we are particularly interested to see how they deal with attendance problems and how the teachers keep the kids interested."

Louise Sames, of Cedars County, has been teaching for 16 years and will also be heading Stateside.

She said: "This is going to be anything but a holiday.

"We are going to be looking at different styles of teaching as well as different ways to enhance parents' involvement in their children's education."

Cedars school has also organised a trip to Gambia, also with funding from the Teachers International Development scheme.