AN ALL-GIRLS' school is opening its doors to boys for the first time later this year.

Teesside Prep and High School, in Eaglescliffe, is to take boys aged three to four in its nursery department from September.

Headmistress Hilary French explained: "We will offer single-sex education to both boys and girls after the early years, when research has shown that both sexes benefit from learning together.

"This will be part of a phased development throughout the school which will encompass two distinct and separate strands - boys and girls - but on one site.

"We will be the only school in the area to offer this.

"We are ready to take the first step forward in September and look forward to welcoming our first cohort of boys then."

The school says it will develop and expand its facilities as it grows over the next decade, but intends to maintain small class sizes.

Mrs French added: "Although the children will be educated separately after the nursery stage, they will mix, under supervision, at appropriate times such as meal times or for school drama productions."

Plans for a new nursery playground and early years' IT suite, to be created by September, will be on display at the school's open morning on Saturday, May 21.

Nursery provision will also be extended to 52 weeks of the year from the start of the new school year.

"This is something that parents have been asking for in recent months," said Mrs French. "We do realise, however, that some parents want to have their children at home during the holidays, so we will be flexible to meet as many needs as possible."

She was due to leave for New York today for a week-long visit to Oceanside High School.

Teesside High is hoping to develop links set up during the Fullbright teacher exchange, which took place in the autumn term.