A PROJECT to boost language skills at a school has proved so successful that it is being expanded.

South Stanley Infants School has been running an initiative to increase powers of communication in reception-age pupils for the past two years.

It has had such an impact on raising attainment levels that from next year, it will be rolled out to all nine primary and infant schools in the Stanley Green Corridor, which takes in Craghead, New Kyo, South Moor, South Stanley and Quaking Houses.

Headteacher Pat Oughtibridge said: "One of the biggest issues we have to deal with is children coming into school with problems with their speech or language.

"Without improving communication skills, we cannot raise attainment in literacy.

"We had some reserve funds so we employed another early years teacher and it has proved a big success."

The scheme will be funded over the next three years with a £150,000 grant from the Stanley Green Corridor Neighbourhood Regeneration Partnership, plus match funding from Sure Start Stanley and other agencies.

It will provide resources and pay wages for an early years teacher, plus funding to employ and train 12 classroom assistants to deliver the project.

Ernest Dobson, regeneration partnership chairman, said: "We commissioned research which identified that there were a number of children who did not need speech therapy for example, but were slightly behind in their language development.

"If there is not some intervention at age four, these kids will be disadvantaged in the classroom right the way through school and will underachieve.

"It is early days yet, but so far it seem to be getting a very good response."

Sure Start speech therapist Kirstie Page and South Stanley Infants' early years teacher Eleanor Johnson have come up with a handbook and resource pack that will go out to each of the schools taking part.

This aims to boost children's communication skills through games and activities such as singing and deals with core vocabulary related to the home, food, clothes, transport and animals.

"This is not a Stanley problem - it is country wide and affects children from every strata of society," said Mrs Johnson.

"We felt this was making a real difference in South Stanley and thanks to this funding, we have the opportunity to address it in schools across the area."