SCHOOLS across the region have won £5,000 for improving the educational performance of disadvantaged pupils.

Schools Minister David Laws today congratulated the award winners, which include Carmel College in Darlington and Macmillan Academy in Middlesbrough.

Each successful school will now be invited to apply for the Pupil Premium Awards which offer prizes worth up to £250,000 to be given at a ceremony hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in March.

Mr Laws said: “The pupil premium is building a fairer society with opportunity for everyone.

“I would encourage all of the secondary schools in the North East and Yorkshire which have received a prize to share their successful approach with other schools so they can learn from their experience.

“I hope all schools will continue to learn from this excellent practice and ensure they are using their pupil premium effectively, so that they too may be in the running for a prize in 2016.”

The pupil premium scheme rewards schools that can provide evidence that their strategies to improve the attainment levels of disadvantaged pupils are working.

Rossett School in Harrogate and Upper Wharfedale School in Skipton were the only North Yorkshire schools to be awarded the £5,000.

Other North East schools to win the money included Easington Academy in Peterlee and St Wilfrid’s RC College in South Shields.