AN international initiative is encouraging staff and pupils at a south Durham comprehensive school to look at the problem of school violence through European eyes.

King James 1st Community College, in Bishop Auckland, has played host to visiting teachers from The Netherlands and Austria.

Their stay has marked the start of a three-year project linking King James 1st Community College with schools in Asten, in The Netherlands, and Litschau, in Austria.

All the work will be funded by a Comenius scheme, which is aimed at raising the awareness of young people about Europe.

King James 1st Community College headteacher Ed Lott met colleagues from schools across Europe when a teacher exchange took him to Vienna last June.

He said: "A plan was developed to work with teachers and pupils in Holland and Austria to create exciting new ways of helping pupils to exchange ideas."

It is hoped that Austrian teacher Andreas Krenner and Frans Jespers, from Holland, will leave Bishop Auckland with a programme of work worth about £10,000 over three years.

This will involve working visits for staff and pupils at all three schools culminating in a drama festival possibly in 2003.