TWO schools have been praised for their work with disadvantaged pupils.

Clacton County High School and the Colne Community School, in Brightlingsea, have each been given £5,000 in recognition of the way they help pupils from deprived backgrounds to improve.

The schools could now win £250,000 at an award ceremony in March.

Jeff Brindle, principal of Clacton County High School, said: “This is a stunning achievement for the school.

“Last year, we were ranked in the top 100 schools in the country in terms of the progress made by our most disadvantaged learners, to receive a similar accolade once again is fantastic news.

“We believe in making sure all students are provided with the support, quality of teaching and range of subjects to meet their individual needs.

“Regardless of background, we are constantly seeking to remove any barriers to learning, to raise aspirations and to ensure that all students achieve the best they possibly can.

“We set high expectations and develop the commitment to learning that is required to achieve these goals.”

Nardeep Sharma, Executive Principal, at the Colne School, said he was delighted the school had received national recognition.

He said: “The teachers at the Colne are truly outstanding.

“We provide the highest quality of education for all our children including the most vulnerable.

“Over the years we have invested the Pupil Premium Grant in staff professional development, innovative intervention approaches and resources that will enable all students to make rapid progress.

“We were recognised for our exemplary efforts by Ofsted in the 2012/13 academic year and since then we have not stood still.

“We have strong approaches to tackling literacy and numeracy difficulties and our students leave or continue in our Sixth Form College with outstanding outcomes.”

Mr Sharma said he was particularly happy to receive recognition as the school had suffered a significant budget cut.

He said: “This year alone the Government reduced our funding by over half a million pounds.

“Despite this challenge we will never short-change the young people in our charge.”

Schools Minister David Laws named the schools alongside 14 others across the region, after the publication of school league tables.

They will all receive at least £5,000 and are now being invited to apply for a prize of £250,000, which will be awarded at a ceremony hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg at the Pupil Premium Awards.

The Government’s Pupil Premium scheme sees extra funding given to secondary schools to improve the achievement of disadvantaged pupils.