SCHOOLS are being deluged with a mountain of red tape, a Pendle head teacher told his audience at an annual prize presentation night.

Peter Donnelly, head of Fisher-More RC High, Colne, said the past 12 months had been a year of change with government initiatives descending on the school.

"Between June 1 and September 30, chairman and governors received 23 circulars and regulations from the DfEE and over the same period the local education authority sent 25 letters of guidance," he said. "This is bureaucracy gone mad.

"The last two-and-a-half years have seen a deluge of legislation as the Government has striven to deliver its promise to make education its top priority. We have now to begin implementing and the pressure is likely to be relentless." Mr Donnelly added: "Target-setting is now well established, but target getting remains a challenge. We are presently looking at practical ways in which targets can be achieved without bringing the whole school to a point of neurotic collapse."

These include training teachers in information and communication technology, thanks to a £15,000 grant. Work will start in January on refurbishing two laboratories with help from a £75,000 grant.

Fisher-More may have three pupils in wheelchairs by next summer and work is needed to make the school more accessible. The school has bid for cash help to cover the cost of installing a lift, ramps and disabled toilets.

It has also bid for money to upgrade and expand the changing rooms and a lottery bid for an artificial turf sports pitch, to replace the all-weather pitch, and two further pitches is being worked on.

The school obtained 48 per cent of pupils achieving five or more GCSEs grades A*-C, four per cent down on last year, but still well ahead of Lancashire and national averages.

Mr Donnelly praised students for upholding Fisher-More's excellent reputation in sport, particularly in badminton, football and basketball.

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