A WORK placement team catering for more than 5,000 youngsters a year has been praised by independent assessors.

The work experience team at DBEE, the education business partnership for County Durham, gives pupils aged from 14 to 16 their first taste of work in places such as hotels, garages, shops and solicitors' offices.

Its latest assessment, on behalf of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), which funds the service, described work experience in County Durham as very successful.

Sarah McAllister, work experience co-ordinator for DBEE, said: "We are all delighted to have received such an excellent evaluation and it was a thorough overview of our work.

"Work experience is very important as it gives pupils their first taste of the world of work and, as the report confirms, helps to raise standards in education and improve pupil motivation and attendance.

"We have a comprehensive database of Durham companies willing to provide work experience and we are involved with all the legal, health and safety, and insurance aspects of placements as well."

The team organises 5,200 placements every year for pupils at 35 secondary schools and eight special schools.

According to the report, 78 per cent of school co-ordinators thought the service provided was excellent, and 94 per cent of pupils gave positive feedback.

Sheila Collins, education manager for the LSC in County Durham, said: "We are very pleased.

"It confirms that schools and pupils are receiving top quality work experience."