Thousands of pupils will have a day off on Friday when teachers attend the biggest seminar ever held in Kent.

Schools in Canterbury and Faversham are to pioneer a radical shake-up in secondary education which will result in much greater collaboration between them.

It is due to a new government-backed diploma being introduced from next September which will give young people the opportunity to obtain a qualification in a much wider range of vocational skills.

On Friday more than 700 secondary school staff are attending the biggest seminar ever held in Kent to be trained on the new diplomas.

The reforms are aimed at 14 to 19-year-olds and will ultimately lead to 17 new diplomas which must be in place by 2013, covering subjects including creative and media, construction, hair and beauty, hospitality and science.

But greater collaboration will be needed between schools because the diploma courses will be divided between them, depending who has the best resources and facilities.

Chairman of the new partnership, Philip Wicker, said: “I am delighted that the schools have decided to work together in this way since most of the major reforms in the 14-19 phase relies on collaboration.”