SPURRED now by the government's flagship education policy, a prevailing trend in schools has - quite rightly - been to combat under-achievement.

But while few would contest the need to continually strive to raise standards overall, there is a danger that this emphasis on improving performance, while targeted at helping the less-successful pupils whose need is greatest, overlooks the requirements of those who are already capable and keen to do even better.

How encouraging, then, to see a project being pioneered in East Lancashire that directs extra help and encouragement at youngsters who are gifted and talented.

For at Alder Grange High School in Rawtenstall, 25 pupils nominated by teachers as high achievers in their second and third years have been earmarked for special attention so that they get extra support and guidance enabling them to meet their own higher demands in the mainstream setting of a comprehensive school.

One of the commonest criticisms of comprehensives is that the levelling ethos of equalised education across the ability spectrum encourages mediocrity and dulls opportunity for the gifted - the essence of the 'bog standard' jibe unfairly hurled at them recently at government level.

But if this factor is to be overcome without resort to the contentious method of selection, then perhaps the milder form of selectivity being pioneered at Alder Grange might prove to be the system that other schools need to adopt to live up to the expectations and demands of brighter pupils.

After all, as the school's head teacher, Iain Hulland, remarks, gifted children have the same rights as other pupils with special needs. In recognising this with specialised action, Alder Grange may not only be directly helping the more able as they deserve, but also setting goals for others that help higher standards overall.

The results of this project will be well worth watching.