A WEBSITE has won a national seal of approval by being included in the largest collection of quality internet education resources in the UK.

The Macclesfield Silk Museums site has been accepted onto the Government-run National Grid for Learning portal www.ngfl.gov.uk

Websites are only accepted onto the NGfL portal if they meet strict quality criteria, which include following best practice on internet safety and ensuring that people with disabilities can access the same information.

Once a site shows that it meets these requirements, and contains material that could be used by teachers, students, parents or adult learners, it is allowed to display the NGfL badge.

www.silk-macclesfield.org has information about the museums and the heritage centre run by Macclesfield Museums Trust. There is an education section with details of the activities and services provided for schools and further education colleges, including a Victorian school re-enactment and sessions learning about daily life in ancient Egypt.

People visiting the NGfL can access www.silk-macclesfield.org along with more than 850 other websites, featuring more than 750,000 pages.

Louanne Collins, Director, said: "There is a wealth of education resources available to teachers and lecturers at the museums, and being on the NGfL will help to promote this to a wider audience. The more people who use our museums for learning the better for everyone and it is a great honour to be on the NGfL."

NGfL Content Manager Ceris Bergen said: "We are building up a mass of resources useful to everybody involve din learning, formal or informal, and the Macclesfield Silk Museums site is a valuable addition to the fold. People in Macclesfield can be proud that a local site is contributing to the nation's education."

The NGfL portal was launched in November 1998 as part of the Government's National Grid for Learning strategy, which aims to create a connected learning society.

It is funded by the Department of Education and Skills and managed by the British Educational Communications and Technology agency (Becta).