THREE schools are to help pioneer 21st Century high-technology 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 for the scheme.

Phil Smith, an education inspector and project co-ordinator, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity to use ICT 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 School's plans include adding video conferencing to its e-mail links with its partner school in Dublin, and creating an Internet drop-in centre for the community at which courses would be run.

New Seaham Primary School 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 new technology in fields including music, English, physical education and art, for teacher training and to give gifted pupils access to the summer schools it runs. Council architects are working on plans for the three high-tech classrooms that could be commissioned in March next year.

The rooms at Easington and Escomb will be purpose-built, while New Seaham's will be an adapted classroom available to the community out of school hours.