WESTLEIGH HIGH student Andrew Ward will this week show Education Minister David Blunkett the real meaning of hospitality.

Today Andrew, 15, is off to London with school head John Pout as part of a small group of people representing Leigh's nationally renowned Education Action Zone making a presentation to the Secretary of State and his ministerial team.

Leigh EAZ is considered one of the best in the country, particularly for its business community links.

Andrew will tell Mr Blunkett about his experience of NVQ Hospitality and Catering and how it differs from conventional GCSE courses.

And head Mr Pout who will explain his school's GNVQ and NVQ programme which involves 70 per cent of students - giving Westleigh a unique position as the first school in the country to offer these courses on such a scale.

Andrew said: "Doing NVQ Hospitality and Catering has been great. I have learnt a lot of skills and gained experience out of school that I would not have done with GCSE."

Mr Pout added: "We are now getting national recognition as the leading provider of GNVQs and NVQs.

"These courses provide great motivation to students, an alternative form of learning and NVQs are recognised by employees as essential qualifications in the working world.

"All this would not be possible without excellent support from local business partners."

Also representing Leigh EAZ at the presentation are Roland Absolum, EAZ director, and Peter Miles of Peter Miles Engineering, who is chairman of the British Focus Group of the EAZ.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.