HUNDREDS of talented youngsters could get a £100,000 learning boost.

Independent and state schools in York are set to raise academic achievement among some of the city's most gifted pupils - if a bid for Government funding is successful.

City of York Council's Children's Services Advisory Panel has given its backing to the bid to the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) for £100,000, through the Independent and State School Partnership Grant Scheme.

If successful, the bid would enable joint working between the city's 11 state secondary schools, York College, Bootham School, the Mount and St Peter's, to support special master classes for talented pupils.

The initiative would help up to 800 York students aged 12 and over improve their understanding of the applied sciences.

The city council was approached by the head teachers of Bootham School, the Mount and St Peter's to explore the possibility of joint working, and getting DfES funding.

A first stage bid, to support the master classes for pupils from across the city, has been successful, and now the second stage will be submitted.

If successful, the programme will begin in spring 2007, and - within five areas of pure and applied science - task groups of three teachers will work collaboratively for the equivalent of five days.

They will consult experts recruited from local academic, business and heritage organisations, to plan three master class workshops for able, gifted and talented pupils. Overall this could mean 15 workshops, with three sessions of student contact.

Tricia Ellison, from the council's Children's Services team, said: "The aim is to provide opportunities for students and their teachers, both from private and state schools.

"We also hope it will also promote social inclusion in York, and will encourage young people to get to know each other better and break down any preconceptions they may have of each other."

City education chief Councillor Carol Runciman welcomed the bid, saying: "One of our priorities is to give young people the skills and knowledge to work in today's world of science and technology.

"This funding would give York's secondary schools, and two of our independent school partners, the chance to work together, developing master classes to bring high level science teaching to young people."