MORE Lancashire schools have been named as "beacons" - lighting the way for others to follow.

Broad Oak County Primary and Penwortham Girls' High School, both in Penwortham, along with Westwood County Primary, in Clayton-le-Woods, have been described as some of the best schools in the country.

They are to work in partnership with other schools to help raise standards.

School standards minister Estelle Morris said: "The government sees beacon schools as a key part in its drive to raise standards - our ultimate aim is a national beacon network spreading and sharing good practice and innovation.

"The first eight beacon schools in the region have already established strong partnerships with many educational organisations to share ideas and approaches to teaching, and to pass on expertise in a whole host of curriculum areas. In this year's expansion, there is a strong emphasis on areas of deprivation and disadvantage with more than half of the new beacons being focused on urban authorities."

Lynn Walmsley, chair of governors at Westwood CP, said: "All our children are eager to learn and a recent survey of parents' opinions put the quality of teaching and learning as the top reason for the school's success."

Lynn, whose five sons have been educated at the school, added: "The children just love coming to school and our attendance record of 97 per cent is one of the top figures in the country." Headteacher John Mackenzie is overjoyed at the school's success. He said: "In 1989, the school was due to open and I stood in the hall surrounded by builders wondering how I could put the school on the map.

"Now, almost to the day ten years later, we have been awarded beacon status and will receive a special symbol to stand beside our Westwood Tree logo. I'm obviously delighted."

A total of 125 schools in England were successful in this round of beacon awards and the aim is to have 1,000 in England by 2002.

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