A SCHOOL has become one of the top 20 training centres in the country ranking alongside West Mercia Constabulary and Tarmac.

Sandbach School's Training and Development Centre was awarded one of the highest grades by the Training Standards Commission in May and put in the top two per cent of the country.

Then when staff returned to the school in September they discovered they had been named in The Guardian as one of the top 20 training centres.

The grading followed inspections earlier this year of training facilities and centres across the country.

Tony Bartley, training manager, said: "We knew we'd got a good grade and were in the top two per cent but England is a big country," he said.

"The thing that amazes me is in comparison with some of the places looked at, such as the TECs which were included, we are relatively small so to come in the top 20 with such massive organisations is great.

"As far as we are aware we were the first and are still the only school in Britain that runs a special training department.

"We were one of the first to be seen by the Training Standards Commission and since getting such a phenonomously good grade in May a lot of people have shown interest in us."

The training centre was set up 12 years ago as a YTS Managing Agent with the Manpower Services Commission and now offers qualifications and training mainly in administration and catering.

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