The UK's leading education web site, the brain-child of a Sussex schoolboy, has reached the final of the British Press Awards 2001.

Schoolsnet has been named in the top six entries for the Web Site of the Year award category and is vying for the top place with web sites from the national media.

Schoolsnet was set up by Brighton-based father and son team, Greg and Tom Hadfield, in November 1999 to provide a guide to education in the UK. It quickly grew into a successful enterprise and now has more than 200,00 visitors each month.

The web site is the only independent stand-alone entry nominated in the internet category of the awards, which are open to all national newspapers, broadcasters, agencies and stand-alone sites with journalistic content.

Greg Hadfield, Schools-net's chairman and editor-in-chief, said: "To be nominated for best web site is a real achievement for us.

"Our team of journalists has worked hard during the last 18 months to produce high-quality, user-friendly content which keeps teachers, parents and pupils up-to-date on all aspects of education.

"Schoolsnet's journalists are providing an invaluable service to schools all over the UK."

Schoolsnet's content includes a non-stop education news service, overseen by ex-Fleet Street journalist Richard Palmer, and a sports desk reporting on all school sports across the country, including the Schoolsnet Cup, a major national under-16 schools' football competition. The site also has a bookshop featuring reviews of 12 new titles each week and a weekly interview with leading children's authors.

The Web Site of the Year is a new category for the annual British Press Awards, which are managed by industry magazine Press Gazette. Formal judging sessions, looking at a record number of entries, have been held and votes for the winning places were cast in secret.

The results will be announced at a ceremony hosted by Michael Parkinson at the Park Lane Hilton, London, on March 21.

www.schoolsnet.com