A Westcliff school has been celebrating after it was held up as a shining example of excellence in education.

Barons Court School and Nursery is one of 300 schools across the UK to be named a Beacon school after education bosses said it met high standards in literacy, teaching, partnerships with parents and information technology.

Announcing the new Beacon schools today, School Standards Minister Estelle Morris said: "Beacon schools are playing a vital role in the drive to raise standards in classrooms by sharing approaches to teaching and passing on expertise across the curriculum.

Schools can now draw on a growing national network which is spreading best practice in education.

"I want to encourage lower performing schools to twin with Beacon schools so that they do not have to face the challenges alone."

Beacon schools get about £32,000 a year to help share their experiences with other schools and teachers.

Barons Court School, in Avenue Road, Westcliff, is the first in Southend's local education authority to scoop the honour.

Headteacher Catherine Menday said:"This is excellent news and we are absolutely delighted that our achievements have been acknowledged at a national level.

"It is a credit to all the children, staff, parents and governors who have worked so hard to improve and maintain high standards."

She added: "We look forward to the opportunity to work with other schools and are as keen to learn from them as we are to talk about what we do."

Stephen Hay, Southend Council's director of education and library services, said: "Barons Court is a jewel and this award of Beacon status identifies for everyone the excellent work that is being done in the school which others can learn from."

The school will use its Beacon status funding to help other schools where English is an additional language, improving partnerships with parents and helping able pupils.

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