THREE schools have pioneered the way for others after earning the Basic Skills Quality Mark.

In just a few months they have managed to achieve the ten standards required by the Government-backed scheme.

The schools are Heaton Park CP School in Whitefield, Sedgley Park CP School in Prestwich, and Fishpool Infants School in Bury.

The aim of the Mark is to work towards raising the basic skills of children and also of young people and adults, and maintain high quality and consistent standards.

Bury's successful trio had to produce strategies to improve children's reading, writing and number work. They had to set targets and monitor results, encourage parents to help, provide staff training and use different ways of teaching based on what each child needs, and provide good books and other material to help children improve.

The Quality Mark will be officially presented to the three schools in September by Mr Alan Wells, the Basic Skills Agency Director. It will last for three years before being reviewed.

Councillor Steve Perkins, executive member for lifelong learning, congratulated the schools for taking up the challenge.

"That they have successfully met all the criteria in such a short space of time is testimony to the high standards they set themselves and the hard work that they have put in," he said.