SCHOOL Standards Minister Stephen Timms has drafted in a special team of education advisers - from a Manchester school.

Youngsters from St Peter's RC High, in Openshaw, met the minister and colleagues from the Department for Education and Skills at a day-long conference.

On the agenda at the event, attended by 10 schools from across the country, were proposed changes to the curriculum, faith schools and good teaching.

The pupils' views will be passed on to Tony Blair and Education Secretary Estelle Morris before the consultation White Paper becomes an education Bill.

Louise Walkin, Moeen Hak and Joanna Wierzbicka were among the delegation from St Peter's and were keen to pass on their ideas, particularly about the possible expansion of faith schools.

Multi-faith

The youngsters are keen for faith schools to continue but said they should each concentrate on all faiths, rather than segregate them.

Joanna, 16, from Fallowfield, said: ''I think we should have mixed-faith schools.''

Louise, 15, from Levenshulme, said a concentration on a number of faiths would help reduce racism.

Moeen, 16, from Victoria Park, told Mr Timms that the government should be aware of the impact recent statements on Afghanistan and Ulster could have on bullying in schools. ''Government actions affect security of pupils,'' he said.

Mr Timms believes that talking to pupils is vital to the consultation process.

''The government is committed to involving children in policymaking because new policies will only work if all the stakeholders believe they are fair and workable,'' he said.

''It was clear to me the children had a lot of good ideas.''