TWO East Lancashire primary schools are to take part in a pilot scheme aimed at improving national standards in mathematics.

Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Blackburn and St Wulstan's RC School, Great Harwood have both seen maths standards in 11-year-old pupils rise dramatically over the last 12 months.

And schools are due to take part in an initiative which will be adopted in classrooms across the country.

Methods introduced this September will include a daily maths hour and a concentration on mental arithmetic.

Latest figures show St Wulstan's in Rushton Street, has seen a 51 per cent increase in numeracy standards.

And Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Holmbrook Close, Fishmoor saw a 55 per cent rise in standards.

Head teacher at the Great Harwood school Miss Marie-Christine Whalley said: "We are always delighted when there is an improvement in standards." Education Secretary David Blunkett said: "The numeracy strategy includes a daily maths hour which will bring back times tables and see pupils holding back on calculators until they know how to do sums in their heads.

"I am confident that these initiatives will mean we can make the improvements needed to reach our challenging targets.

"Evidence from Ofsted and other research shows that pupils are forging ahead in schools which started the numeracy programmes early."

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