PAYING pupils to take science and maths A-levels will help halt the brain drain in key subjects, East Lancashire schools have claimed.

The numbers of young people choosing to study science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) subjects have been falling across the country.

But a number of East Lancashire schools have already taken steps to buck the trend by offering financial incentives to students or promoting the subjects.

And they have backed a report calling on the government to consider paying students for passing key A-levels.

Blackburn's Queen Elizabeth Grammar School (QEGS) has been offering scholarships to its sixth form pupils through the Ogden Trust for the past four years.

Set up by Lancashire-born physicist and entrepreneur Sir Peter Ogden in 1998, the trust aims to promote the teaching and learning of science through sponsoring talented Stem students at sixth form and undergraduate level, and projects supporting maths and science teaching in primary and secondary schools.

QEGS is one of only a handful of North West schools to offer the Ogden Trust Sixth Form Science Scholarship, which offers financial help to two students a year who have been educated up to GCSE level entirely in state schools, and want to pursue Stem subjects further.

Headteacher Dr David Hempsall said: "f the country needs scientists, and clearly we do, then students should be encouraged in every way possible.

"A number of our former students who have gone on to have successful science careers comment about how many wonderful opportunities there are for Stem graduates - that message needs to be got across."

The school said it would welcome other schemes to encourage the study of sciences.

In its Stem Review report released this month, the Council for Industry and Higher Education (CIHE) said that the government should consider paying students for passing Stem A-levels, or giving bursaries for Stem students.

Under another Ogden Trusts' second initiative, Pleckgate High School Mathematics and Computing College in Blackburn, and Ramsbottom's Woodhey High School received funding from the trust in their successful bids to become specialist science colleges.

Woodhey is also now part of the Ogden Trust's Schools Science Partnership, aiming to promote science and provide exciting science-based opportunities.

Assistant headteacher Alrene Hughes said: "The partnership means that we can engage younger pupils in science, which is vital."