AN event to encourage pupils and parents to go in to higher education is being held next week.

Year five pupils from Coundon Primary School, near Bishop Auckland, and their parents, will visit New College, in Durham, on Wednesday, for an Aiming for College Education (ACE) event.

According to the course organisers, County Durham has one of the lowest levels of educational achievement in England.

This is thought to be chiefly because young people fail to reach their full potential through either a lack of confidence, or because they are unaware of the opportunities available to them in further and higher education.

Headteacher of Coundon Primary School, Ed Mitchell, said: "Children often have a very clear idea of what kind of work they might like to do in the future, but don't know what to do to get there.

"This kind of initiative will help them and their parents to know what kind of opportunities are available to them."

Pupils will meet students on higher education courses and carry out activities including mapping progression routes from school to higher education.

Parents will be given talks on higher education opportunities.

To find out more about further education go to www.furtherandhigher.co.uk