PRIVATELY-educated children in East Yorkshire will work with pupils from a state school as part of a Government scheme to promote private and state partnerships.

Pupils from Pocklington Montessori School, an independent school for children aged up to eight, and Woldgate School, a state-run secondary, will work together in the Independent/State School Partnership Scheme.

The Government has put forward £75,000 worth of funding to be shared between the two schools in the three-year project aimed at promoting drama and music.

Rosie Pressland, head teacher of Pocklington Montessori School, said the project would break down barriers and share facilities both schools had to offer.

She said: "People see children at independent schools as advantaged and children at state schools with less and that is not the case.

"We want to promote the fact there are different choices available to parents. It does not make one better than the other just different. It is about sharing knowledge and experiences."

Head of performing and creative arts at Woldgate, Kevin Allen, said: "The funding will provide opportunities for staff and students to have increased access to dance and music that is not currently available."

The project will see children sharing resources in both dance and music and further training for teachers.

Collaborations between the Grand Opera House, York Theatre Royal and Oak House in Pocklington will give the children the greater opportunities to experience the theatre.

A joint dance and music team will be established to deliver arts work on both school sites.

The highlight of the project will be a ten-week workshop involving Yorkshire Dance and Leeds College of Music which will culminate in a major dance and music performance from both schools.

The Independent/State School Partnership Scheme was established six years ago and has seen more than 200 partnerships set up involving more than 800 schools.

The scheme is the second of its kind Montessori School has taken part in. Two years ago the school received £35,000 worth of funding to work with local state schools on sports project.

Woldgate School is currently preparing a bid to become a specialist school for performing arts. It will be submitted in March and if successful the school will gain thousands of pounds worth of funding.

Updated: 09:06 Wednesday, November 26, 2003