Tuesday, June 23, 1998 Published at 14:02 GMT 15:02 UK
Education The successful bidders The zones affect hundreds of schools
The details of the 25 Education Action Zones announced by the government - showing their locations, who is involved, and what they are intending to achieve. Some 500 schools are affected:
BARNSLEY
21 schools in North and East Barnsley.
To open September 1998.
Innovations: Smart card system to chart pupil progress; more access to
Internet; specialist teachers; interactive homework service; co-operation
between schools and health and social services.
Targets: GCSE pass rates above LEA targets; halve number of 16-year-olds
getting no GCSEs; better attendance rates; every pupil to have e-mail address
and link to National Grid for Learning.
Partners include: British Telecom, Nord Anglia, Barnsley and Doncaster TEC, Bull Information Systems.
BASILDON
30 schools in East Basildon.
To open January 1999.
Innovations: Pre-school for every child; Individual pupil action plans;
video conferencing for staff training; vocational training for pupils.
Targets: Better attendance rates; 15% increase in provision and use of
outside school activities; reduced youth crime.
Partners: Basildon District Council, Essex LEA, Research Machines.
BIRMINGHAM: ASTON AND NECHELLS
21 schools in Aston and Nechells.
To open January 1999.
Innovations: 50% increase in school hours, through homework clubs, holiday
clubs, and mature pupil learning; home learning and parent with pupil workshops;
better child care in area.
Targets: 20% improvement in stage tests, and in students staying on after
16; 20% reduction in exclusions; quarter fewer leaving school without jobs or
training; minimum 90% attendance; 50% longer opening hours.
Partners include: Barnardos, Birmingham TEC, Birmingham City Council,
University of the Third Age.
BIRMINGHAM: KITTS GREEN/SHARD END
15 schools in Kitts Green and Shard End.
To open January 1999.
Innovations: One to one literacy support; family centres; summer literacy
schools; more education welfare officers; sporting heroes and business
professionals to visit schools.
Targets: Increased literacy levels; 30% of 16-year-olds gaining five good
GCSEs, and 95% getting at least one of any grade; better attendance; higher
staying on rates; fewer exclusions.
Partners include: Cadbury, British Aluminium Plate, National Exhibition
Centre, BSA Tools, Birmingham LEA
BLACKBURN WITH DARWEN
22 schools in south Blackburn and Darwen.
To open September 1998
Innovations: specialist teachers; extended school day; residential courses
for 10 to 14-year-olds; new lessons in "citizenship".
Targets: 75% of 11-year-olds to achieve expected levels in English and
maths; 40% of 16-year-olds to get five good GCSEs and 93% at least one GCSE:
exclusions cut by 50%.
Partners include: Blackburn College, Blackburn Partnership, Blackburn
Rovers PLC; Blackburn with Darwen LEA; Church of England; Communicare Health
Trust; ICI, Gromathic UK Ltd; Lancashire Constabulary.
BRIGHTON
12 schools in East Brighton.
To open January 1999.
Innovations: IT access to all outside school hours; year-round nursery
provision from 8am to 6pm; more lessons in arts and sports; new school day;
business mentors working with head teachers; expert teachers.
Targets: 75% of 11-year-olds to achieve expected level in maths and
English; 40% of 16-year-olds to achieve five good GCSEs; boost attendance rates
to at least 92%; cut permanent exclusions.
Partners include: American Express; Brighton and Hove Council; Business in
the Community; Gatwick Airport; KPMG; University of Brighton.
CROYDON
9 schools in New Addington.
To open September 1998.
Innovations: Specialist teachers; fast-track IT learning; longer school
hours, with breakfast and after-school clubs and summer school; possible four or
five term year; businesses advising on management and providing placements.
Targets: Numbers of 11-year-olds gaining expected targets for English,
maths and science within top 5% of similar schools; 31% of 16-year-olds to get
five good GCSEs; boost attendance rates to 94%, halve number of exclusions;
improve numbers going to further education; stop any 16-year-olds leaving
without jobs; cut drug use, crime, smoking, pregnancies.
Partners include: Croydon Health Authority, Croydon Local Authority,
Edexcel, John Ruskin College, South London TEC.
HALIFAX
29 schools in Halifax.
To open January 1999
Innovations: local learning network; centres of excellence in arts and
business studies, computing and ICT; parenting classes at primary schools;
specialist teachers; new courses for children aged 14 to 19.
Targets: raising standards at least to national expectations; reducing
exclusion and truancy.
22 schools in city and area towards Black Mountains.
To open September 1998.
Innovations: extended school day; more work-related learning for 14-plus
pupils; Sports College in one secondary school.
Targets: 20% boost for proportion of seven, 11 and 14-year-olds achieving
expected levels in English and maths; 60% of children to enter further
education; attendance of 90% or more in all schools.
Partners include: British Telecom; Hereford and Worcester Chamber of
Commerce and Training; Herefordshire LEA; Tesco; Kington Connect; Princes
Trust.
KINGSTON UPON HULL
18 schools in Brandsholme area.
To open January 1999.
Innovations: British Aerospace engineers involved in curriculum planning;
exchange and video-conference links to Rotterdam; extended school day;
specialist teachers; Family Learning centres.
Targets: 73% of 11-year-olds to reach expected levels in maths; 68% in
English; 8% more 16-year-olds to get five good GCSEs.
Partners include: British Aerospace; Hull College; Hull and East Riding
Chamber of Commerce; Hull and Holderness NHS Trust; Humberside Police;
Humberside TEC; Kingston Communications.
LAMBETH
27 schools in North and Central Lambeth.
To open September 1998.
Innovations: Breakfast and after school clubs; visits and residential
courses for all pupils; Family Literacy promoted; Duke of Edinburgh or Youth
Award schemes.
Targets: 80% of 11-year-olds to reach national standard in English by 2001,
with 75% doing same for Maths; all pupils to learn IT skills; better attendance
and punctuality; targets for citizenship and employability awards; less reliance
on supply teachers.
Partners include: IBM, ICL, Metropolitan Police, National Theatre, Royal
Festival Hall.
LEICESTER
23 schools in South and West Leicester.
To open September 1998.
Innovations: Specialist teachers; improved management skills for teachers;
more precise resource allocation; support teams for special needs pupils; longer
school hours.
Targets: Better attendance rates, less truancy; every school leaver to go
into work, education or training; improved literacy results; 25% increase in
good GCSE passes for 16-year-olds.
Partners include: Leicester City Football Club, Leicester Chamber of
Commerce, The Philharmonia Orchestra, Prince's Trust.
MIDDLESBROUGH
18 schools in East Middlesbrough.
To open September 1998.
Innovations: Alter national curriculum to focus on work skills; extended
school day with homework clubs; literacy and numeracy summer schools; specialist
teachers; Study Support Centres at Middlesbrough FC; business mentors.
Targets: 65% of 11-year-olds to achieve literacy and numeracy targets by
2001; 90% attendance rates; a fifth of 16-year-olds to get five good GCSE
passes; 7% reduction in those gaining no GCSEs.
Partners include: Middlesbrough FC, University of Teeside, Diocese of
Middlesbrough, Future Steps LTD, South Tees Employment Service.
NEWCASTLE
19 schools in West End of Newcastle.
To open September 1998.
Innovations: one-stop-shop for health and family support in schools;
extended school day; work-related curriculum for post-14 pupils.
Targets: 12% increase in 16-year-olds with five good GCSEs; 3% better
attendance rates each year.
Partners include: Newcastle LEA; Newcastle United PLC; Newcastle College;
Northumbria and Newcastle Universities; Tyneside TEC; The Pacific Institute.
NORFOLK
10 schools in Thetford.
To open January 1999.
Innovations: self-assessment and target-setting with business mentors;
incentives to cut truancy; specialist teachers; targeting gifted pupils.
Targets: 18% more 11-year-olds to achieve expected levels in numeracy and
literacy; 17% more 16-year-olds to get five good GCSEs.
Partners include: Breckland District Council; Norfolk LEA; Norfolk and
Waveney TEC; Thetford Town Council; Thetford Partnership (local businesses)
NEWHAM
19 schools in Canning Town, North Woolwich and West Ham.
To open September 1998.
Innovations: Saturday schools; specialist teachers; new lessons for
children over 14; "restructuring leadership" in schools; minimum standards for
quality of teachers.
Targets: more than 70% of 11-year-olds achieving expected levels in English
and maths; 95% of pupils getting at least one GCSE; 93% attendance for primary
schools and 91% for secondary; 60% of pupils staying on after 16.
Partners include: Arthur Andersen; British Telecom; Bull (Worldwide
Information Systems); Capita Business Services; Newham LEA; Princes Trust, Tate
and Lyle; Time Plan.
NORTH EAST LINCS
17 schools in Grimsby
To open September 1998.
Innovations: "Open School" TV programmes taking the classroom into
children's homes; "virtual classroom" via the Internet; daily literacy and
numeracy lessons.
Targets: 5% boost in target for 11-year-olds reaching expected levels in
English and maths; 10% improvement in average GCSE scores; 90% attendance in
secondary schools and 95% in primary; 10% increase in post-16 study.
Partners include: IBEC, North East Lincs LEA; UKENSA; World Challenge
Expeditions.
NORTH SOMERSET
23 schools in Weston-super-Mare.
To open September 1998.
Innovations: no exclusions; extend school day and holiday schemes; internet
access and networked computer facilities for all schools; laptop-loan scheme for
learning at home.
Targets: 15% boost in achievement for 7,11 and 14-year-olds; 95% of pupils
to achieve at least one GCSE; boost school attendance to 95%; increase parental
participation by 10%.
Partners include: McDonalds; Nord Anglia PLC; NSPCC; West College; North
Somerset LEA.
NOTTINGHAM
10 schools in Bulwell area.
To open January 1999.
Innovations: advanced computer-based learning system; after-school clubs,
homework centres, weekend and holiday study centres; anti-truancy networks with
police; business help with management and training.
Targets: 70% of 11-year-olds to achieve expected level in literacy, 65% in
numeracy; 20% of pupils to get five good GCSEs, 85% at least one GCSE.
Partners include: Nottingham City LEA, Nottingham and Nottingham and Trent
Universities; Greater Nottingham TEC: Nottingham Partnership (local employers).
PLYMOUTH
20 schools in West Plymouth.
To open in January 1999.
Innovations: parenting skills classes in primary schools; homework clubs,
holiday schemes and breakfast clubs; early excellence centres for pre-school
children; new lessons on literacy and numeracy and for post-14 children.
Targets: school attendance 90% across all schools; 70% of 11-year-olds to
achieve expected literacy levels; extend school day.
Partners include: British Aerospace, British Telecom; Brittany Ferries;
Plymouth LEA.
SALFORD AND TRAFFORD
18 schools straddling the two boroughs.
To open September 1998.
Innovations: Cyber cafes and zone-wide computer "web"; sharing business
expertise to improve teachers' management skills; specialist teachers; new
lessons for pupils over 14.
Targets: 74% of 11-year-olds to achieve expected levels in English and
maths; 40% of pupils to get five good GCSEs; raise staying-on rate at 16 to
95%.
Partners include: Barclays Bank; Colgate Palmolive; John Laing
Construction; Kelloggs; Salford City Council; Trafford Council; Manchester TEC.
SHEFFIELD
21 schools in North East Sheffield.
To open January 1999.
Innovations: family and child counselling to prevent "disaffection";
specialist teachers, particularly in arts and technology; motivational arts
programme.
Targets: 65% of 11-year-olds to achieve expected level in English; 37% of
11-year-olds to get five good GCSEs.
Partners include: Sheffield council; British Telecom; Sheffield University;
Sheffield Hallam University; Sheffield Education Business Partnership; Sheffield TEC.
SOUTH TYNESIDE
13 schools in Whiteleas, Hedworth and All Saints.
To open January 1999.
Innovations: Family literacy project; community libraries in schools;
summer literacy and numeracy schools; specialist teachers; access to IT for
students and parents.
Targets: 81% of 11-year-olds to reach expected level in English, 74% in
numeracy; 5% more pupils to achieve five good GCSEs; exclusions and truancy cut by 50%.
Partners include: South Tyneside council, South Tyneside College, Rolls
Royce Transmission and Distribution Ltd; Roh and Haas UK Ltd; Tyne Dock
Engineering Ltd, Tyneside TEC; South Tyneside Partnership.
SOUTHWARK
13 schools in North Southwark.
To open January 1999.
Innovations: extending school day and year; laptops for teachers; early
start to national numeracy programme; Family Literacy Network.
Targets: nursery provision for all three and four-year-olds; 90% of 11-year
olds to reach expected level in English and maths; 50% to get five good GCSEs;
80% of children to walk to school; 60% to stay on in education after 16.
Partners include: Southwark council; Financial Times; Price Waterhouse;
Southwark College; South Bank University; Capstan Ltd; Optimum Health Trust.
WIGAN
30 schools in West Leigh area.
Opening January 1999.
Innovations: Zone Technology Network including video conferencing;
specialist literacy teachers; family advice centres in schools; new lessons from
age 14.
Targets: 77% of 11-year-olds to reach expected level in English and maths,
up from 56% and 60%; improved GCSE results; lower school exclusions.
Partners include: Greater Manchester Police; Wigan and Bolton Health
Authority; Wigan Borough Council; Lancashire Publications; North West Water;
Pittsburgh Gas; Wigan Borough Partnership (eight local companies).