TEA, toast and times-tables will be on the menu at Dorset schools after they scooped nearly £250,000 lottery cash today.

Breakfast mathematics clubs are just one of the new activities set for 14 schools across the county thanks to two separate successful New Opportunities Fund (NOF) bids in Dorset announced this morning.

A bid made by Dorset Education Business Partnership (EBP) on behalf of nine primary, secondary and special schools across the county netted more than £148,000. And All Saints' School in Weymouth has joined forces with nearby infant and junior schools to win nearly £95,000 for a range of out-of-hours clubs and activities.

The NOF cash - part of the National Lottery - will benefit nearly 3,000 youngsters a year according to organisers of the projects to win the cash.

At All Saints mathematics staff have already launched a maths breakfast club which is proving popular with youngsters. Teacher Jill Harfield said: "The club, which runs twice a week, is already very well attended.

"The children come in and have tea and toast and do 20 minutes of arithmetic. It is a fast-track scheme to help those youngsters who haven't reached the government target of level four - and it boosts their confidence too."

Headteacher at the school in Wyke Regis, Tim Balmforth, said today: "Although our name is on it, it is a joint effort with Wyke Regis Infant and Junior schools, Holy Trinity Infant and Junior schools and St Augustine's School.

"The cash will be managed centrally by the group of headteachers involved over the next three years, but each school has its own projects."

Among the projects to be funded by the NOF cash are numeracy and literacy breakfast clubs at All Saints, a modern languages club at All Saints for local junior school pupils, a homework club at Holy Trinity Junior School and school library after-hours opening at Wyke Junior School.

Holy Trinity Infant School hopes to start-up pupil-parent activities and home learning workshops, St Augustine's wants to start an information technology club. Wyke Infant School hopes to use the cash to concentrate on music, drama and PE.

Mark Cheesley, headteacher at Holy Trinity Junior School, said: "We want to use the money to target youngsters who need extra help."

The group of nine schools in the Dorset EBP include Wey Valley School, Wyvern and Westfield Special schools in Weymouth, Penwithen Special School in Dorchester and Marshwood Primary School in Bridport.

Marcia Headon, headteacher at Wey Valley said: "Our share of the bid is £47,000 which will enable us to enhance the already good facilities that we have here."