Pupils from an under-threat Brighton school are travelling elsewhere to take lessons in computer technology and English.

Youngsters from East Brighton College of Media Arts (Comart) are working with pupils at Varndean School, Balfour Road, Brighton to give them a solid grounding in computer skills.

Andy Schofield, head at Varndean School, said the strong links between it and Comart meant more pupils were encouraged to go on to further education.

Since the start of the school year, about half Comart's Year 10 pupils travel to Varndean for almost two days each week to be taught GNVQ IT and English.

For Varndean it is building on the school's work with Falmer High School, where there has been a marked increase in the numbers going on to further education, while for Comart the pupils are studying for something which builds confidence and is the equivalent of four GCSEs.

Acting Comart headteacher Karen Lees said: "It is already proving to be a very positive allegiance and certainly the Comart students are really positive.

"It's enabling Comart to offer GNVQs to all Year 10 students. Those not going to Varndean can be taught here. It also supports the GCSEs they are taking here."

Ms Lees, who is on secondment from her post as deputy head at Varndean for the next year, said she had been able to tell students what it would be like going to Varndean because of her experiences there.

She added: "Some of them were very nervous about going but it is building their confidence and they appreciate we are highlighting the fact the students are the most important people here."

Varndean has been running its GNVQ courses for three years, with staff writing the software and setting up a company to distribute and market it nationwide.

It currently supplies the software to around 350 schools.

Headteacher Andy Schofield said: "It builds on what we have done with Falmer, where their students became much more confident.

"We hope it gives them the confidence to look positively at their choices.

"It does help people to stay on. At Falmer they have done really well with 100 per cent of the ones who did the course still in further education by Christmas."

Mr Schofield said the most important thing was to support the children while the argument about what will happen to Comart rages around them.

Brighton and Hove City Council is recommending it closes in summer 2005 because of falling pupil numbers.

Thursday September 18, 2003