EDUCATION experts and business leaders and have joined forces to draw up an action plan to help struggling youngsters in 19 Blackburn and Darwen schools.

The revolutionary Education Action Zone will see business and the council join forces for the first time to improve the education of children viewed as some of the most disadvantaged in Lancashire.

Youngsters from poor backgrounds, potential criminals and pupils who have written themselves off are the main targets of the EAZ organisers.

Leading organisations such as Blackburn Rovers, ICI, and Whitbread have already signed up for the scheme under the guidance of the Blackburn Partnership organisation.

Just 25 local education authorities have been hand picked by the Government to run action zones over the next five years. Blackburn with Darwen has been chosen for the scheme in its first year as an education authority and there is strong evidence schools in the borough need a boost.

At the last count seven schools in the borough were identified as needing special measures by Ofsted inspection teams.

Headteachers say 40 per cent of children covered by the zone were entitled to free school meals.

And they aim to improve the number of children who get five GCSE from A to C grades from the current 25 per cent to the national average of 40 per cent.

The plan is to use the EAZs as testing grounds for exciting and fresh teaching techniques. The latest computer technology will brought into the classroom, new funding targeted at problem areas and the progress of pupils closely monitored.

Schools included in the zone will be expected to work together and exchange ideas and everyone involved will be set tough new targets.

And teachers will be given more time to help children struggling to keep pace with their classmates.

Extra cash for the 19 schools has been earmarked by the Government but the private sector will also be expected to come up with its share of the funding.

Exciting projects lined up include interactive teaching using the latest computer technology and teams of specialists from the world of industry taking part in classes.

Parents will also be expected to play an active role in their child's education and daily school life.

But some schools have been left out of the zone and union bosses have criticised the principles behind the project. Critics say that the idea of a special zone means other schools will be left out in the cold creating a ghetto of failing schools.

Unions are worried the private sector will be given too much say in an area they know little about.

A managing forum will have complete control of all the schools in the EAZ and will have the power to set wages, extend term times and change the curriculum.

There are also fears that struggling zones will be sitting targets for private companies looking to expand into education.

But Blackburn with Darwen Council bosses have dismissed the fears and pledged to keep a tight control on the new zone.

The forum has five years to make a success of the zone and ensure the new measures have a lasting impact on the children it aims to help.

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