A school plans to install CCTV cameras with a difference - they won't be watching for intruders but watching the teachers instead.

Beckfoot Grammar School has been designated one of only 82 Training Schools in the country by the Government and will receive £28,000 this year and next to develop innovative teacher training practices.

School Standards Minister Estelle Morris announced an expansion of the scheme this week with Beckfoot being one of three new Training Schools in Yorkshire and Humberside.

Headteacher David Horne said: "We were invited to bid for this status by Leeds Metropolitan University and we were successful. It's very good news for the school and we are very pleased.

"It's a developmental project for school to take more of an initiative in terms of training potential teachers. We have some very good practice here such as mentoring schemes where teachers are assigned to trainee teachers.

"We are very keen to encourage dialogue about classroom practice and to work with other teachers to explore new ideas.''

One of the initiatives Mr Horne said the school would be looking at was an experimental classroom.

"This would have CCTV so we can film teachers and observe lessons,'' he said.

Michael Dore is a trainee teacher from Leeds Metropolitan University. He has done some teaching practice at Hanson School but has spent nearly three months at Beckfoot, where he was impressed with the level of training he received.

He said: "We had dedicated education profession studies with lectures about things like ethics and class management.

"After the theory we'd discuss practice and how you build up a good rapport with the pupils.

"You really felt like you were getting some training rather than going in and just being expected to teach like some of the other students at other schools.''

Mr Dore, 22, has already got a job for September teaching English at Yorkshire Martyrs Catholic College.

Training Schools receive up to £100,000 per year over a two-year period to spread good practice and develop innovative teacher training practices including, using new technology to enhance and improve lesson observations and developing new ways of assessing and recording school work and results.

Mrs Morris said: "I welcome the new round of Training Schools as an important addition to the overall strategy of improving teaching skills and raising classroom standards.

"Prospective teachers and all schools who train teachers as they work towards the Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) can benefit from the innovative training resources and ideas being developed at these Training Schools.''.