Some run-down inner city schools in Bradford could be in line for a bonus worth more than £1 million in the next three years, according to the Government.

Under the Excellence in the Cities scheme, ministers have announced that they will create mini education action zones to boost standards.

At least two secondary schools and their feeder schools will receive £250,000 a year for three years.

If the schools can raise a further £50,000, the Government says it will match that additional funding. A Department of Education spokesman said the aim was to boost standards.

The scheme, which is part of the wider Excellence in the Cities programme, is still in its planning stages and final details of which schools will be involved have not yet been unveiled.

Bradford was one of the six major urban areas chosen to take part in the Government's pioneering drive entitled Excellence in the Cities.

Within the last few days the Council has submitted its seal of approval to the broad scheme.

However, the Government is not expected to reveal the implications and individual spending quotas for each area until the end of July.

"We are very optimistic about the whole thing," said assistant director of education Angela Drizi.

"Excellence in the Cities is very good news for Bradford. It will bring a lot of funding into education."

Excellence in Cities was launched in late March as part of the Government's drive to turn around the traditionally low academic achievement in inner city schools. Tens of millions have been promised to plough into schemes in Bradford/Leeds, Sheffield/Rotherham, Birmingham, Liverpool/Knowsley, Manchester/Salford and a large chunk of east and north-east London.

All the areas have particular difficulties because of social deprivation, high unemployment and other problems.

The cash will be used for a major expansion of the specialist school and beacon school programme in Bradford. It will also see the introduction of a set of new, smaller education action zones targeting particular pockets of problems and poor achievement as well as provision to help gifted children.

After the scheme was unveiled, Bradford Council had until May 4 to return its official comments. On Monday the Government is to confirm its draft guidelines on how the whole scheme will be administered.

Final allocations are expected to be announced in the summer term.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.