A BLACKPOOL high school has been commended for helping its pupils fulfil their potential as part of a national scheme.

St Mary's High School, St Walburga's Road, was singled out for praise by the town's director of excellence, Keith Clark, who is in charge of Blackpool's effort in the national Excellence in Cities drive to raise standards in high schools.

Mr Clark said it was a pleasure to visit St Mary's and see the school developing pupils and addressing the scheme's main aims, including developing gifted and talented pupils, introducing learning mentors and setting up learning support units.

He added: "The youngsters involved are already showing progress and we can see the staff making a difference."

St Mary's deputy head teacher Ken Winstanley said: "We have renovated part of the building to create our impact centre, which is located on one floor and pulls together the learning support unit, computer terminals, group work base and a base for our new learning mentors.

"Our impact centre is also used by the co-ordinator of our gifted and talented programme to stage masterclasses, out of hours initiatives and one-to-one discussions."

He added: "At lunch times the student care group provide assistance to other students and the constant flow of pupils across all ages, giving and receiving support and guidance, has created a bright new environment."

And Keith Clark praised the borough's other schools.

"All eight schools have created learning support units, and 21 learning mentors have been employed to work with students who have barriers to learning.

"Each school has also identified ten per cent of pupils for a gifted and talented provision of extended lessons and summer school."

He added: "In six months much has been achieved in all of Blackpool's high schools."