AN HISTORIC educational trust in a Ryedale village has helped fund a state-of-the-art IT complex at the local school and boost the learning skills of its pupils.

The £45,000 project at the 170-pupil Amotherby Community Primary School has seen it become one of the best-equipped in any North Yorkshire village after the school itself raised £5,000 through events organised by staff and parents.

A further £5,000 came from the Amotherby Educational Trust which uses the rent from land it owns to fund educational projects.

Bob Audsley, the school head, said the department of education provided further funding and residents in the village helped raise money to enable the whole project to be completed in less than a year.

The success follows hot on the heels of a £20,000 campaign to provide the school with outdoor play equipment.

Now the school has its own computer unit with 15 lap-top computers.

"Previously, we had to share the main hall which is also used for school dinners and physical education classes," said Mr Audsley. "Now we have a permanent IT suite."

Children are able to get internet access through the computers and network other computers elsewhere in the school, he added.

"There are many advantages for the children. We are able to provide them with an exciting IT curriculum and every child can have regular access to a computer."

"We have a wonderful piece of software which benefits all children irrespective of their ability. We can have 15 children all using the internet at the same time, focusing on a wide range of subjects."

As a result, believes Mr Audsley, their learning potential is enhanced as they target such subjects as geography, history and literacy. He said: "The children learn much more directly - they can replicate information very quickly."

He had special praise for Adrian Wilford, the community education area manager, who provided expertise, advice and £20,000 through the county education authority to buy the laptops.

The new IT unit also benefits the community, said Mr Audsley, with two night classes using the school's facilities. In addition, there is an after-school computer club for school pupils.

Updated: 12:02 Thursday, February 07, 2002