A SCHOOL has been selected for an important new role aimed at raising standards.

The Hermitage Academy, in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, is one of only 150 schools in England to be granted teaching school status in the third wave.

The teaching schools initiative began in 2011, marking a shift towards school-centred training and development.

The programme gives outstanding schools the freedom and autonomy to lead a group of schools, working with other partners including at least one university, to deliver high quality support for teachers and leaders at all stages in their career.

The principal of The Hermitage Academy, Jim Murray said: "This is a fantastic achievement for all of us within the Academy.

"We are extremely proud of the recognition and excited about the opportunities it provides to be at the heart of innovation within teaching and learning.

"We hope that many schools and students in the local area will benefit from working in collaboration with us to train and develop outstanding practitioners."

The National College has responsibility for the designation and quality of the teaching schools programme, working closely with the Department for Education (DfE), as the national network grows to 500 teaching schools by 2015.

The Hermitage Academy has also been given the additional responsibility of becoming a National Support School.

Maggie Farrar, Executive Director at the National College, said: "Teaching schools like The Hermitage Academy should be proud of their achievement as they need to be at the top of their game to take on this role."