What is an Education Action Zone?
Education Action Zones lie at the heart of the Government's education and regeneration programme. They have been established to improve performance in schools experiencing challenging circumstances.

The aim is to encourage a 'whole community approach' and to concentrate efforts to develop innovative and radical strategies to raise standards of education and achievement. Our success will rely on partnerships between pupils, parents, governors, teachers, community organisations, employers and Liverpool City Council's Education and Lifelong Learning Service.

How many Education Action Zones are there?
73 EAZs have been approved to date with 50 smaller EAZs to also be introduced. In addition to the Speke Garston EAZ, there is also a Zone covering the Dingle, Toxteth and Granby schools.

How long will the Speke Garston area be an EAZ?
Initially the funding was for three years but has now been extended for five years.

What are the main things the Zone will hope to achieve?
After considerable consultation and examination of the challenges in our area, a decision was taken to concentrate on the needs identified and five key areas for development were agreed.

These are:

• Improving teaching and learning;
• Promoting social inclusion through early intervention i.e. reducing the numbers of pupils excluded or at risk of being excluded from school;
• Developing a rewarding and creative environment;
• Supporting school staff and management;
• Embedding information communication technology into the curriculum.

How will the EAZ be managed?
An Action Forum of up to 32 members with representatives from education, business and the community will lead the EAZ. The Forum will meet 8 times per year.

Chair of the Forum is Philip Duffy, Head of New Heys Community Comprehensive and Vice Chair is Diane Auton, Head of Millwood Community Primary School.

Who oversees the performance of the EAZ?
The Department for Education and Skills will monitor the EAZ's performance on a regular basis.

How will the EAZ benefit my child?
The EAZ will mean an additional 3 million pounds will be available over the next three years to help raise educational attainment and develop skills within the Speke Garston area.

All young people attending schools within the Zone will benefit by improved standards of teaching and learning in the classroom, better resources and a more creative and rewarding environment.

What type of projects will the EAZ fund?
All projects funded by the EAZ must relate to the needs identified by the EAZ's Action Plan. This has been developed to reflect the needs of individual schools as identified within their own development plan.