A GROUP of 20 teachers from schools across the borough of Stockton will be taking a trip to Rialto, in California, to share good practice.

The trip has been organised through the Teachers International Professional Development (TIPD) Scheme. This has already seen teachers in Stockton travel to Toronto, in Canada, and Adelaide, in Australia.

The TIPD Scheme is aimed at teachers and classroom assistants, who undertake research into educational topics, such as information communications technology (ICT), provision for gifted and talented students and teaching and learning styles in schools and colleges abroad.

Teachers from Stockton were the first in the country to take part in the initiative when they want to Canada in 1999 to look at ICT teaching.

The trip was made after a request from the Department for Education and Skills for Stockton to pilot the scheme. Schools across the UK are now asked to follow the model set by that visit.

Since then, Stockton Borough Council's education department has been a firm supporter of the initiative.