PREPARING pupils for the next millennium was the theme of a headteacher's speech at a high school awards evening.

Alisdair Coates outlined challenges and action for the years ahead as youngsters at St Christopher's CE High, Accrington, gathered for prize presentations.

East Lancashire training and Enterprise Council (ELTEC) chief executive Mark Price, was on hand to congratulate achievers at the Queen's Road West school.

Mr Coates thanked his staff along with parents, pupils, governors and the wider community for their contributions during the past academic year.

He then turned the focus on the future and the challenges the third millennium would bring to education.

Mr Coates said: "We stand on the brink of the new millennium and the technological revolution.

"Unskilled jobs for unqualified workers have all but disappeared and pupils will be asked first, what are your exam results?

"We're pleased to celebrate last year's Year 11 GCSE results, with more than 60 per cent achieving at least five grades A to C.

"It is vital that no pupil leaves school without proper qualifications, literacy, numeracy and IT skills.

"The skills a pupil needs will change during their working life and school leavers will be trained by training providers and employers.

"Our role is not to train but to educate, to nurture and develop the individual and that is where our wider role achieves its importance."

Repeating the school's mission statement, Mr Coates said St Christopher's pupils should be "prepared as Christians for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life."

He added: "We hope to be preparing our pupils for a life in which they can find personal fulfilment in the changing world of the third millennium."

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