AN impressive 120 schools across North Yorkshire were today given special cash awards for getting high or improved exam results.

School Standards Minister Stephen Timms said 112 primary and secondary

schools under the control of North Yorkshire County Council had won

achievement awards.

A further eight schools in the City of York have picked up the awards, which are worth about £5,500 for a typical primary school and about £25,000 for a secondary school.

Governors decide how to share the award between all staff.

York MP Hugh Bayley congratulated the winners. He said: "Of course test and

exam results are not the whole story, but schools that have won the award

should be proud of what they have achieved.

"The awards celebrate success and provide an opportunity to reward the

whole staff team - support staff as well as teachers - for their contribution."

The winners are schools that achieved "substantially better" pupil

performance last year than in 1998; those where pupil performance in 2001

was better than most schools in similar circumstances; and schools that

have recovered from failure and come out of special measures in the past year.

Mr Timms said: "Standards are getting better year-on-year.

"It's right to reward the staff who are doing a great job raising standards in our schools. Pupils, parents and staff deserve to be proud of their school's success.

We have asked a lot of our schools over the past four years and our schools

have delivered a lot in response.

Nearly 7,100 schools have won awards in this second round.

This is equivalent to about 30 per cent of all maintained schools in England.

Updated: 10:58 Friday, March 22, 2002