Funding leg-up for pupils

AROUND £150,000 is to be ploughed into Oldham schools to help underachieving youngsters improve their reading and maths grades as they start secondary school.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will today announce that secondary schools will be given £500 for every pupil not meeting the standard expected of newcomers to secondary education.

Across the borough, 300 pupils (20 per cent) fell short of the standard in both subjects.
But the £150,00 these numbers represent could rise: the money also goes to schools with pupils who failed only one subject

Department for Education figures show 195 pupils failed to meet the reading standard and 240 the maths standard — meaning the council could expect around £217,500.

The money will be available from January.