FERRYHILL Comprehensive School is submitting a bid for specialist school status today, after more than four years of fundraising.

The school is bidding to become a business and enterprise college. If successful, it will receive £500,000 of Government money over the next four years.

The school has been developing links with businesses and the community, and last year opened an online centre, one of the first information and communication technology drop-in centres in the UK.

Headteacher Steve Gater said: "Over the past few years we have been doing more and more to provide learning opportunities in school and in the community.

"As an extension of that, we are making a bid for specialist status to become a business and enterprise college.

"That includes developing further the use of the online centre and adult courses based in school and out in the community."

As part of the bid, the school has had to raise £50,000 in sponsorship, £20,000 of which has come from the Parent Teacher Association.

Mr Gater said: "They have been raising money over the past four-and-a-half years, so it has been a long slog by a dedicated, keen and talented group of individuals.

"The rest has come from a number of local companies, and their support has been absolutely magnificent.

"We have also got a lot of support from companies wanting to help us in school with enterprise and business- related activities as their sponsorship. And we have got the promise of getting working partnerships with a number of companies and voluntary groups, so it is all looking very promising."

The school, which has also prepared a four-year development plan, will hear if its bid has succeeded in the summer.

Mr Gater said: "We are hopeful that our bid will be successful and we will be able to extend our part in helping to regenerate the area and the community as a whole.

"If we are successful, we start as a business and enterprise college in September.

"If we don't win the bid we simply don't win extra funding, but we are committed to developing our support for the community whatever the outcome."