A SCHOOL has been held up as a shining example after being awarded Beacon status by the Government.

Park View Community School, in Chester-le-Street, is the first secondary school in County Durham to be officially recognised among the best performing in the country.

It joins ten primaries in the county which have already been awarded Beacon status, which enables them to share their knowledge with other schools on subjects such as pupil monitoring, management and special educational needs.

Park View will now receive £42,000 every year for the next three years from the Department for Education and Skills to cover the costs of the additional work.

Headteacher Alan Thompson said it hoped to collaborate with other secondary schools in the area on projects of mutual interest.

Mr Thompson said: "We are the first secondary school in County Durham to achieve Beacon status and we are absolutely delighted to have achieved this prestigious accolade.

"We have had sustained success at both GCSE and A-level over the past four years. The most significant factors contributing to our success have undoubtedly been the quality, commitment and teamwork of our teaching staff."

Durham County Council's director of education Keith Mitchell said: "It is superb news that the county now has 11 Beacon schools, all helping the drive towards continuous improvement by sharing their skills and experiences."