A BUOYANT future for the county's schools has been predicted by the county's education boss, Cynthia Welbourn.

In a report to the county council's executive on the Department of Education's five-year strategy for education, she said that it would benefit school budgets and aid investment in secondary schools that have achieved specialist college status.

Miss Welbourn, the county's education director, said the Government's plan made a major commitment to expand specialist schools.

"North Yorkshire schools will make progress as a result of the investment and have support from the local education authority," she said.

"The position seems very positive. The department's commitment to specialist schools is very significant."

On admissions to foundation and voluntary-aided schools, Miss Welbourn said: "North Yorkshire's admissions policy seeks to balance enabling parental preference with an option which secures a local link.

"Given the good performance of most schools, and the authority's record in helping schools, it is well placed to rise to the challenge that every child should have a good school."

The plan to convert the current five half-day early years entitlement for three and four-year-olds into a 12.5 week flexible entitlement for parents, to combine education and care, will be welcomed by parents, she said.

Miss Welbourn said talks are to be held with headteachers in the next two months on the new strategy.

The county's executive members for education, Councillors Jim Clark and Chris Metcalfe said in their report that funding arrangements for children with learning and behavioural difficulties was unclear.

They warned that if changes took place in an unplanned way they could lead to unfairness.