THREE County Durham schools are to help pioneer 21st Century learning.

Durham County Council has won £1m from the Government to develop Classrooms of the Future at Escomb Primary School, near Bishop Auckland, and at New Seaham Primary and Easington Community schools, in east Durham.

The national pilot scheme aims to transform teaching and learning through the use of computers.

Durham County Council is one of 12 English education authorities, and the only one in the North-East, to be chosen.

Phil Smith, an education inspector and project co-ordinator, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity to use ICT (information communication technology) to help shape the future of education in County Durham.

"We have three projects where the community can play a major role and where pupils at 'partner' schools across the county and further afield will also benefit.

"It is an exciting project and, although at an early stage, it is already evident there is a wealth of possibilities to explore and develop."

Escomb Primary's plans include adding video conferencing to its email links with its partner school in Dublin and creating an Internet drop-in centre for the community, where courses would be run.

New Seaham Primary is looking to get broadband Internet access to help raise standards and "global lessons by expert staff in all areas of the curriculum via video conferencing".

Easington Community School would use technology in fields such as music, English, physical education and art, use it for teacher training and give gifted pupils access to it at summer schools.

Council architects are working on plans for the three classrooms that could be commissioned in March next year.

The rooms at Easington and Escomb will be purpose-built, while New Seaham will adapt an existing classroom. Its new centre would be available to the community out of school hours.