A SCHOOL has been presented with two awards for its excellent use of computer technology.

Longfield School, a specialist sports college, was presented with the awards by Darlington MP Alan Milburn.

The school is one of the first schools in the country, and the first in the North-East, to gain an ICT (information communications technology) charter mark.

It has also been awarded £4,000 by computer company Easynet.

Both awards recognise the school's use of ICT across the curriculum.

Dave Hunton, assistant headteacher and the schools e-learning director, said: "We were overjoyed to get the awards and the money, which we are going to use to pay for a big screen and projector in the school hall.

"All the classrooms have interactive white boards, children have access to their work from home and we have a very active and full website. Lessons are all delivered using ICT and we have 350 machines in the school."

Mr Milburn gave a talk at the school assembly about the importance of education.

Mr Hunton said: "It was quite a spirited speech."