A £100,000 grant to ease the problem of crowded classrooms in Blackburn and Darwen schools has been welcomed as "brilliant news" by the borough education chief.

Around 800 pupils, aged between five and seven, will now be kept out of classes of 30 or more thanks to the money, part of a £22 million government grant split between education authorities throughout the country.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has been included in the first 65 authorities to benefit under the scheme.

The money is to pay for more teachers in primary schools and so reduce class sizes.

There has been a major problem with oversized classes in East Lancashire for a long time, with more than half of primary school children being taught in classes of more than 30.

Councillor Mr Bill Taylor, chairman of the council's education and training committee, said: "The government has been in place for eight months and since then they have directed funds directly into schools with many initiatives, such as 'New Deals for Schools'.

"The class size initiative is an excellent further step."

Education secretary David Blunkett has promised millions more over the next three years.

He said: "The £22 million of standard fund money has been made possible by the phasing out of the assisted places scheme.

"There will be significantly larger sums of money to become available over the next few years so that infant classes of over 30 can be eliminated. There are around half a million pupils in large classes. This money will mean that by September almost a quarter of them, that is over 100,000, will be benefiting from smaller classes.

"Reducing class sizes is essential if all children are to have access to the teaching supports they need in their crucial early years when they master the basics of literacy and numeracy."

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