RISING pupil numbers could drag Hayward School out of the red and heal its budget overspend, headteacher John Heaton said.

And careful management could call a halt to the school's bad debt - currently the worst Bolton school for overspending.

Mr Heaton made the prediction at the school's prize-giving ceremony when he revealed that the latest intake of pupils- 226 - was the highest for many years.

He said this meant more income for the school from the government.

Mr Heaton told parents and pupils at the prize giving: "Hayward currently has the largest overspend of any school in Bolton but careful management of this problem and increasing pupil numbers should mean that it will not be long before the overall deficit is wiped out and Hayward can look forward to being in the enviable position of having a positive budget."

Bolton Wanderers' player Andy Todd, replacing Scott Taylor in a last minute "substitution", handed out the prizes and certificates.

In his speech, Mr Heaton also expressed his hopes that the school 'could do better' in the national and local league tables in 1997.

This year, Hayward School scored badly in the league tables but had impressive results on the sporting field, particularly its successful under-12s cricket team.

He also revealed the school's pioneering bid to increase its funding with the launch on Monday of a "Friends of Hayward' scheme in which businesses and local people sponsor the school.

Special prizes included the Trushar Patel Memorial Prize for service to the school, awarded to Emma Clark; Science prize to Leanne Sutton, Achievement Imran Mohamed; Martin Rushworth Prize for Work Experience to Yusuf Tai; Parents' Association Prize for Head Boy, Hemel Maisuria and Head Girl Stephanie Vickers; Leigh-Bramwell Trust Prize for maths Zamir Patel and English Zulfikar Jiva.

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