Three Ashford secondary schools are to get nearly £130,000 between them to help lift classroom standards.

Christ Church School, The Towers and the North School have all been earmarked for the exta cash as part of a Government drive aimed at helping what ministers say are under-performing schools.

The three schools were all placed on a hit list last year, with childrens secretary Ed Balls warning that if they did not meet a Government target by 2011, they could face closure.

The money is being made available as part of the National Challenge initiative. About 30 Kent schools will together qualify for a £2.1million cash injection because they are currently below the Government’s target for all schools to have 30 per cent of pupils achieving five or more good GCSEs by 2011.

While all three Ashford schools posted better GCSE results this year, they have yet to reach the 30 per cent threshold set by the Government.

Kent County Council, which has the job of working with the schools to raise standards, insists that all schools are on course to meet that target.

While nine secondaries identified by ministers did get above the 30 per cent mark this year and 18 others improved, nine saw their results dip. A further three schools have now been added to Kent’s list after their results slipped below 30 per cent.

Cllr Leyland Ridings (Con), KCC children’s cabinet member, said: "We are expecting all our schools to be above the average by 2011. We are putting plans in place for each individual school. We are monitoring carefully each of these schools."

He declined to be drawn on when schools would meet the Government’s targets.

Christ Church School, which KCC plans to turn into an academy, will get £76,500. The North School will get £35,500 and the Towers School £16,000.