SEVERAL North-East schools have announced plans for dance studios, fitness centres and youth theatre following successful bids for specialist school status.

Schools including Longfield in Darlington, Belmont Comprehensive in Durham, Blakeston in Stockton, West Redcar Community School and St Hild's School, Hartlepool, were awarded specialist status by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) yesterday.

Specialist schools receive a one-off capital payment of £100,000 to develop their facilities, plus £126 per pupil for four years.

Longfield was awarded specialist sports college status and plans to involve the community in sport and fitness, training volunteers as coaches and buying new equipment, as well as upgrading its sports hall.

Headteacher Keith Cotgrave, said: "It is a good school but now we can make it a great school."

West Redcar Community College was awarded specialist visual and performing arts status.

It has £1.7m plans to develop a fitness centre, drama, music and dance studio plus a community art gallery, youth theatre group and aerobics classes for the community.

St Hild's School, which was named as a specialist engineering college, will now develop the school's facilities for design technology, engineering, science and maths.

Headteacher Carolyn Roberts said the school also hoped to help with engineering training for the community.

Blakeston School, in Stockton, received specialist sports status, which will enable it to develop its sports facilities.

Belmont Comprehensive School, in Durham, was granted performing arts status, which will give pupils a chance to work with professional actors and musicians, as well as the wider community.

A building will be adapted to house a dance and drama studio and increase the development of computer facilities.