STAFF from nearly 90 schools in Worcestershire and Herefordshire have been handed cash bonuses for raising teaching standards.

The money is part of this year's School Achievement Awards, worth around £5,700 for a typical primary school and £25,700 for a typical secondary school.

Nunnery Wood High School, in Spetchley Road, was the biggest winner receiving a £28,090 bonus, followed by RNIB New College which received £19,810.

Hallow CE Primary School received £2,890, Warndon Junior School received £6,430.

"We are delighted with the recognition of all the hard work of both pupils and staff," said Alun Williams, headteacher of Nunnery Wood High School.

"It's the second year we've won an achievement award and it's always satisfying to have your efforts acknowledged."

The money has to be distributed between the staff, though schools have the freedom to choose how to split the funds.

"In our case, the money will be split evenly between everyone who worked here last year," said Mr Williams.

"The school's performance was a team effort between everyone, from the cleaners to the teachers."

And Maggie Goodwin, headteacher of St Clement's CE Primary School, was also thrilled with the £7,520 award they received.

"The staff really deserve this for all their work," she said.

"It's not just the money but the morale boost it gives is fantastic. It is an affirmation that what we are doing with the children is right.

"We were in the top 10 per cent in the country in terms of achievement last year and it's great to see a number of schools in Worcester also doing well."

The School Achievement Awards scheme recognises schools where pupil performance was substantially better than in 1999, where performance was better than others in similar circumstances, and it also rewards schools that no longer require special inspection measures.

In total, School Standards Minister David Miliband will distribute more than £7m to 800 schools across the West Midlands.

However, David Hart, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, had mixed feelings about the awards.

"Nobody denies high achieving schools should receive due recognition," he said.

"But it is quite extraordinary that, at a time when virtually every school is strapped for cash, the Government should be dishing out millions of pounds to 30 per cent of schools."