Lakes College has been selected to receive a share of £40 million to be a Centre for Excellence in maths.

The Lillyhall college is one of 21 chosen nationally - and the only one in Cumbria - to receive a share of the funding from Department for Education.

Anna Lister, head of maths at Lakes College, is delighted that the college will get the funding.

Also curriculum operations leader in maths and English, Anna said: "It will enable us to rejuvenate our maths provision developing new resources for our range of learners."

Principal Chris Nattress said: "This is fantastic, not just for Lakes College and our learners, but also the wider community in West Cumbria and further afield.

"We look forward to working with the project partners to make a real difference in maths skills in our area - being one of only 21 providers awarded the funding nationally is a great accolade and will really benefit the region."

The college has been working, supporting and collaborating with Lancaster and Morecambe College and other Cumbrian colleges such as Carlisle College, Kendal College and Furness College on a number of projects sharing best practice.

For the maths Centre for Excellence funding project Lakes College is the lead, submitting and managing the bid on behalf of the other colleges.

The centres will test and share new ways to teach students who are re-sitting their maths GCSEs.

A programme will be designed which will introduce new and improved teaching approaches, develop teaching resources, build up teachers’ skill sets and share best practice.

Applications were selected on the commitment to improving maths outcomes through innovative maths teaching methods and evidence of leading and influencing change within and beyond their institution.

The funding letter states that Lakes College: "Will have a vital role in the success of the basic maths Centres for Excellence programme and will work in partnership with the national delivery partner to trial new and improved teaching approaches, develop resources and best practice and to share and embed this fully throughout their maths network."

The college are currently awaiting details from Department of Education on how the money will be divided and spent. It is likely to be a three year programme in the first instance.

Plans for the centres were first announced in last year’s Autumn Budget to improve the quality of basic maths provision for low attaining post-16 learners.

Colleges were eligible to apply to become a Maths Centre of Excellence in May if they had at least 250 students with prior attainment in GCSE maths below grade 4.