COUNCILLORS hope to improve County Durham's GCSE results by putting an extra £2m into education.

Durham County Council is belt-tightening after getting a disappointing grant settlement from the Government .

This happened despite a shake-up in the funding system that was expected to benefit the Labour-run authority.

But the county council is using money saved in some areas to fund priority projects such as trying to improve the county's comparatively poor exam results.

The money will go towards things including extra teaching sessions, out-of-school activities, learning support, books and materials.

The scheme was approved by the council's cabinet last Thursday.

Two years ago the council put extra money into improving Key Stage 3 results. Levels of attainment are now in line with the national average. Now the council hopes that GCSE pupils can match and maybe better the standards set by youngsters elsewhere in the country.

Council leader Ken Manton said: "The achievement of young people during their school years is crucial, not only to themselves and their future, but to the economic success and regeneration of County Durham if more jobs - and better paid jobs - are to be created.''

Durham missed out on additional funding from the Government to help secondary schools in deprived areas because it was targeted at inner cities and not rural areas.

Coun Manton said: "We are determined to provide as much additional funding as possible to our secondary schools to enable them to match the expectations and outcomes of other secondary schools and pupils elsewhere who receive this extra Government funding.

"I am confident that our overall performance at GCSE will improve as a result.''

Coun Manton said the cabinet would look to make further additional funding available in next year's budget to help pupils with special educational needs remain in mainstream schools.

It would also create a special cash reserve to provide additional support for schools that need the council's help or intervention.

"Overall we shall be spending millions more on education than the Government has allocated us in the 'passport' and that reflects the council's priorities and aspirations for all its young people and learners of all ages for the future.''