BURSARS at North Yorkshire schools are among the first in the country to join a new course to develop their professional skills.

Many schools now have bursars to deal with their school budgets, as the amount of money delegated to schools and administration has increased over the last ten years.

At other schools, the head teachers often take on the work instead.

The Government wants to train more bursars so that head teachers are free to concentrate on classroom matters.

Ten bursars from North Yorkshire schools, including Forest of Galtres, South Milford and Tadcaster Riverside primaries, are among the 100 taking part in a national pilot development programme. The plan is to launch it officially in September and that it will have three levels of qualification - certificate, diploma and MBA.

Sue Borrowdale, bursar at Tadcaster Riverside, said her job had increased from 12-hours a week to full-time since she started five years ago.

She said the course, which has been funded by Government grants, was done mainly from home through the Internet, with one "away-day" a month.

"I'm very busy, but I think it's rewarding and it helps you focus on what you are doing," she said. "It will also give us a professional qualification and recognition of the work we do."

She said not all the people on the training scheme were bursars, some were doing other jobs and hoped to enter the profession.

Bob Jacobs, head of the county council's Financial and Management Services to Schools team, said five of his staff who provided bursar services to schools, were also on the scheme.

Bernadette Jones, head of education policy and development, said: "This programme is obviously going to be an important one as far as schools are concerned.

"The involvement of North Yorkshire County Council means that we can have a major impact on the development of the scheme prior to its launch."

Updated: 09:15 Wednesday, May 22, 2002