A major cash windfall will help set up out-of-school learning clubs.

Ten schools in the Harwich area are to benefit from a Government grant of £127,000.

The money will be given out over a three-year period by the Government's New Opportunities Fund and is to be used specifically for out-of-school learning clubs.

The Harwich School's learning resources manager Simon Ross-Pearce helped to secure the cash.

He said: "Each school will set up a learning centre where they will offer around four hours per week to students after school. The emphasis will not be on teachers but coaches - somebody on hand to advise.

"It will be a voluntary scheme, but pupils could be targeted say if they've been unwell or missed coursework for some reason.

"We've got terrific resources in these schools, yet at 3pm most stop being used. The idea is to get better use of equipment and facilities."

The Harwich School used to run a similar scheme - The Learning Zone - on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but it stopped when funding ran out. The grant means it can start again with expansions into its feeder primary schools.

Part of the grant will also be used to fund transport - bringing primary school children in to use the Harwich School's facilities - and the money will also finance a three-day Easter revision course.

The news comes hot on the heels of last month's award of £3 million for the Harwich and Clacton Education Action Zone. The latest grant is not related.

Primary schools involved in the scheme are All Saints, Chase Lane, Harwich County Primary, Little Oakley Infants, Mayflower, Ramsey, St Joseph's, Spring Meadow and Wix.

The town's library is also included in the project and will receive money to buy new books.

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