TOMORROW'S World is a thought provoking and stimulating 2002 experience for Leigh Education Action Zone's Cyberspace Kids.

Youngsters in every one of the 26 Leigh EAZ schools are now intensely involved in the computer classroom -- from primary to A level aspirants.

They are today's pathfinders in the incredible ICT revolution as the human race slips away from leaky nibs, pencil sharpeners and blackboards and onto the keyboard cornucopia of space age education.

Lesley Fitzsimmons, the EAZ's ICT teacher adviser, said: "I am delighted to see a large number of our schools have, through their websites, taken the opportunity to let the rest of the world know about what they are doing -- and the extent of their school pride.

"Using EAZ computers, and, with training provided by the LEA, they have really netted the ICT initiative.

Innovative

"The EAZ now looks forward to seeing the rest of the Zone schools coming online and continuing in the EAZ style of being innovative and exciting!"

The success of the computer classroom is mirrored on the World Wide Web where half of the EAZ schools feature lively, up-to-date sites, highlighting their individual schools through words and pictures.

Bedford High's impressive site is packed with news and pictures; check on their faculties section, with in-depth glimpses at science, modern languages, PE and careers.

Over at Westleigh High -- the first to offer a laptop rental to families -- the home page leads into an introduction by headmaster John Pout.

Junior schools are also at the vanguard of the high-tech revolution.

St Thomas CE in Bedford welcomes worldwide surfers in five languages (English, French, Italian, Spanish and German) and takes them on a school tour with plenty of input from the youngsters.

A fascinating section on class news on the Bickershaw CE website takes readers through the work of each class, while there is a full meet the staff feature at Beacon School St John's with a full tour, parent info and a webcam.

The Leigh Education Action site www.leigheaz.co.uk is the flagship for the Zone schools. During the past 12 months it has been extensively developed with the assistance of ICT manager Brian Slater at St Thomas's.

With regular weekly updates it's a lively and colourful site.

Leigh EAZ project director Alan Dutton said: "The EAZ has seen the successful development of ICT in all its 26 schools as a core aim.

"Considerable Zone funds have been committed to purchasing hardware for every school, and Lesley Fitzsimmons has supported schools in devising and implementing their ICT plans.

"We are delighted at the clear evidence we now have that standards of attainment of EAZ children in ICT are rising significantly.

"We want the children in EAZ schools, just as in the whole of Wigan LEA, to be at the forefront of the ICT revolution."