PUPILS will get a continental-style early start and early finish to their day at one Bolton school as their headteacher introduces major changes.

From September, the day at George Tomlinson School, Kearsley, will consist of five one-hour lessons, starting at 8.30am and finishing at 2.30pm, with a shorter lunch break.

Lessons currently begin at 9am and finish at 3.30pm.

Headteacher Lynne Porter hopes the changes will give pupils the chance to take part in more activities and boost exam success, raising the number of pupils achieving A to C grades at GCSE to 40 per cent. Since Mrs Porter took over last September, she has introduced a popular breakfast club which allows youngsters to arrive at the Springfield Road school from 7am and have breakfast before school starts.

Other changes she wants to bring in include the introduction of a new rule that all Key Stage Four students have to study a vocational GCSE. And, aside from their studies, there will be a base for the Connexions service to offer young people personal and careers advice.

Mrs Porter is keen to establish learning mentors who will work with children individually and in groups and help build their self esteem and confidence.

Larger-scale changes next year include structural alterations which will see another information computer technology room which will bring the school's total of computer suites to three. The library is set to be refurbished by September, 2005. The school is also extending links with both Bolton Community College and Bolton Sixth Form College. And working closely with local primary schools is part of Mrs Porter's vision for the future.

The school, which caters for 11-to-16 year olds, is involved with talks with other schools and education chiefs about the possibility of a sixth form centre being establish in the east of Bolton.

Mrs Porter said: "We are looking at whole of post-16 provision at the moment.

"We are involved with other schools in east Bolton, looking at sixth form provision. I have got staff who would like to teach sixth form."

Further plans for George Tomlinson include the complete rebuilding of the school, under the government's Building Schools for the Future Initiative. A further boost to the school has been the installation of a CCTV security camera system which has seen the number of break-ins drop from more than 20 last year to just two this year.