SUMMER holiday classes are to become the norm at an east Durham comprehensive after its elevation to technology school status.

Forty-two starters at Peterlee's Dene Community School of Technology gave up a fortnight of their holiday to attend a numeracy summer school.

As with previous classes, the intensive maths tuition proved beneficial to the year seven intake. The award of technology school status and the extra funding that brings has given the school more resources and opportunities to improve pupils' education.

The pupils were encouraged to put their maths skills to the test in real-life situations at the summer school.

Pupils completed a "shopping maths" exercise during a "sum trail" through the Asda store in Peterlee, and also spent time in the local Walkers' Snack Foods factory, testing their numerical ability. They also visited Middlesbrough Football Club and the Eureka Centre, at Halifax, West Yorkshire, to look at the importance of numbers in the sporting and scientific worlds.

Headteacher Elaine Hamilton said: "Everybody's marks improved by the end of the two weeks, some doubling their marks and one boy, Ben Peacock, achieved a perfect score.

"It also had the knock-on effect of improving their confidence in maths, and helping in the experience of the step-up to secondary level from primary school.

"In fact, the year sixes who have moved up to become year sevens are a pretty improved year group, said Mrs Hamilton, who is delighted with the standard of the intake less than a fortnight into the term. But those who came to numeracy school have really benefited and it's really helped them make the step up."

Future years' summer schools will be in science and technology, information communications technology and computer science