A SCHOOL has installed latest technology in every classroom to improve learning and monitor attendance.

Woodham Community Technology College in Newton Aycliffe was successful last term in gaining a grant from the Department for Education and Science to allow the installation of e-registration software.

The system was used for the first time on Tuesday for morning and afternoon registration. From January, all students will be electronically registered on a lesson-by-lesson basis.

This will enable student absence to be identified quickly and efficiently, and to emphasise to parents and students the importance of regular attendance.

During the summer holiday and over the past six weeks, the college's information and communications technology network manager, Mark Atkinson, and his team have installed 244 computers.

The college now has a computer in every classroom and clusters of machines in English, art, science, modern languages and the learning support area.

The clusters support machines in design technology, ICT and mathematics.

The work means Woodham meets the Department for Education and Science recommendations for schools to provide a computer for every five students.

Woodham has also embarked on a new technological adventure in modern foreign languages. A video-conferencing room has been set up to allow students in the sixth form to prepare for AS-level examinations in German.

The department, which has been working with resource manager Susan Hutton, believes this will give students the benefit of first-class tuition and instant access to up- to-date materials.

There are also plans to install seven interactive whiteboards.

Deputy headteacher Andrea Crawshaw said: "This is an exciting time for Woodham and its students. We are leading the way in providing cutting edge technology to improve the work environment of staff and students and to engage our students in a wider variety of learning experiences."