A SCHOOL is celebrating the pledge of a £50,000 cash boost from a leading North-East entrepreneur which it hopes will help it achieve specialist status.

Greencroft Comprehensive School, in Annfield Plain, near Stanley, will now prepare a bid to specialise in business and enterprise.

Headteacher Chris Espiner said: "We had written to companies and organisations, including the Sir Tom Cowie Foundation, looking for help.

"After a visit from members of the foundation I got a call saying Sir Tom Cowie had agreed to sponsor us entirely, which is remarkable. We are delighted.

"Once the bid is submitted this will enable us to unlock £450,000 of Government money over several years."

Mr Espiner said, once the status was achieved, the school would concentrate on developing maths, information technology and business studies, and would apply business and enterprise across the whole curriculum.

He said: "It doesn't matter what the lesson is - it will have to engage every person who works here.

"The aim will be to broaden the experience and life chances of pupils and what we offer - to make it relevant to the 21st Century."

"The cash could be used to improve the ITC facilities we already have or create more office environments.

"We could also invest in increasing staffing levels with more specialist teachers and provide existing staff with training in vocational subjects. This could result in smaller class sizes.

"We have strong links with Derwentside College who provide NVQ courses, which could be enhanced."

The concept of enterprise and business is already being applied.

Mr Espiner said a police officer who was research- ing local gravestones for Remembrance Day had approached the school and the history team was looking into what pupils could do to help him.

The school is also engaging with the local HSBC branch under a business in the community banner to see what they can offer pupils and what the school can do in return.

Part of the package means that the wider community must also benefit, so there will also be the prospect of having after-school classes for adult learn.

Mr Espiner said he would be consulting with other schools, who have already been won the status, before submitting a bid to the School Trust.

The school for 11 to 16-year-olds, which serves Annfield Plain, Catchgate, Dipton, Burnhope and Lanchester, is hoping to have its application ready by next year.

Sir Tom, a self-made motor magnate, will be visiting the school on October 13 to meet the staff, pupils and governors.