STAFF at a north Durham secondary school have been chosen to help train the teachers of the future

St Bede’s Catholic School and Sixth Form College in Lanchester has been selected to become a National Teaching School.

It will take a leading role in recruiting and training new entrants to the profession, identifying leadership potential and providing support for other schools.

St Bede’s was one of only 60 schools in England to be granted teaching school status in the latest round.

Headteacher Neville Harrison said: “We are delighted to be designated as a National Teaching School.

“To a large extent it is in recognition of the hard work of staff at St Bede’s to support other schools, particularly in leadership development and also through our significant role in teacher training.”

Introduced in 2011, Teaching Schools are all rated as ‘outstanding’.

They work with other schools to provide high quality school-led initial teacher training and professional development opportunities for teachers at all stages of their career.

They raise standards through school-to-school support, take part in research and development, and ensure that the most talented school leaders are spotted and supported to become successful headteachers.

Mr Harrison said: “As a school we have always maintained an outward-facing and collaborative approach to many parts of school life.

“We hope to build our alliance of partner schools even further to support school improvement in the region.”

The National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) has responsibility, along with headteachers from the Teaching Schools Council, for the designation and quality of the teaching schools programme.

Charlie Taylor, the chief executive of NCTL, said: “St Bede’s should be very proud of this achievement.

“The school has been recognised as a centre of excellence in its area, with an outstanding performance and a track record of raising standards through supporting other schools.

“There are now 600 teaching schools around the country with more to follow. “They are at the heart of an increasingly school-led system, leading the way in improving the quality of our teachers and helping the schools in their partnership to become even better.

“Like teaching hospitals, they have become centres of excellence across the country, conducting research and training teachers.”

For further information contact Mr Harrison or senior assistant headteacher Roger Purdy on 01207-520424 or email St Bede’s at teachingschool@stbedes.durham.sch.uk