THE headteachers of secondary schools in Darlington have joined forces to cut truancy and improve education standards.

The newly formed School Improvement Board aims to bring together the expertise of teachers at all the schools and to share good practice.

The board, made up of headteachers from all the borough's secondary schools, will also work to get funding from the Government to improve facilities, and start initiatives to tackle issues such as truancy.

The headteacher of Eastbourne Comprehensive School, Richard Appleton, said: "Schools throughout Darlington share similar problems and we must work together to try to solve them and to improve education across the town.

"There are attendance problems and issues with pupils with special educational needs everywhere. If someone has found a solution, it makes sense to share it."

The board will be chaired by Sheila Potter, headteacher of Haughton School, and will hold regular meetings to discuss progress.

According to Eammon Farrar, acting assistant director of education for Darlington Borough Council, the board's first priority will be to help Eastbourne School improve its results and reputation.

He said: "We will be working on lots of things at once, but our first priority will be sharing expertise to help Eastbourne School improve its results.

"The school is already improving in lots of ways, but if we all work together there will be no limit to the things we can do."

The board is also hoping to encourage other agencies to work with it.

Mr Farrar, who is also headteacher at Hurworth Comprehensive School, said: "Senior officials at the Local Education Authority (LEA) have agreed to meet us regularly so they can see how to help our schools improve.

"As well as giving advice to improving schools, we need the LEA to push the best schools, so they are continually challenged and get even better.

"Before the board was set up, schools were fighting each other for funding and to get a good place in the league tables. Now we are working together for the good of all children in the town.

"We also hope to encourage agencies like social services and the police to work with us to overcome problems such as truancy.