Schools are to get a £5 million cash injection to help boost exam results of pupils across the district.

Bradford Council chiefs unveiled the extra money as part of a spending restructure which will mean a three-year strategy to boost the amount of money in education.

They also revealed that a further £1.5 million would be on the table to help meet teachers pay awards.

The news was largely welcomed by head teachers and unions.

"This is extremely encouraging news." said John Patterson, the head teacher of Bingley Grammar School.

"Not only is it a real and significant increase for schools, but it also seems to point to a belief in higher educational standards as a means of underpinning the future prosperity of the district."

But Mr Patterson sounded a note of warning and said Bradford schools still have along way to go before they are up to national average funding levels.

Ian Murch, of the National Union of Teachers, was cautiously optimistic over the news.

"If it is new money in addition to what is required it will be welcomed."

The three-year plan means that officers and members will have to plan their spending priorities two or three years in advance rather than looking at a budget year on year.

Council leader, Councillor Ian Greenwood, said the fact that schools had already received £1 million boost since the beginning of term was proof of the council's intentions to improve funding.

"We have already underlined our commitment to pupils in Bradford by putting an extra £1 million into schools this year, but we realise that more money is needed if we are to achieve our aim to raise standards of achievement in our schools."

Coun Greenwood said that the council had heeded a campaign for more cash launched by the district's secondary school head teachers earlier in the year.

"Head teachers have asked for more money to be put directly into schools and we have responded."

Bradford Council's chief executive Ian Stewart said he welcomed the shift in how the council spends its resources.

Joy as schools get a £4.1m 'gift' for repairs

Christmas is coming early for schools in Kirklees who have received £4.1 million to spend on school buildings and repairs.

The government announced the shot in the arm which means that each school in the district will receive a lump sum to undertake repairs.

Councillor Molly Walton, the chairman of the Kirklees Education Management Board, welcomed the news.

"£4.1 million is a substantial amount of money which will be spent on our schools," she said.

The cash will come from a number of sources including permission to borrow £2.3 million, £1.5 million capital for repairs and £246,000 from the government which schools can bid for to pay for special projects.

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