QINETIQ has given Dyson Perrins CE High School £15,000 towards a bid for specialist status.

The Yates Hay Road school is now halfway to the £50,000 its needs to raise to support its application to become a business, enterprise and engineering college.

Specialist status would mean an extra £600,000 over four years. It would also enable Dysons to support local primary schools in a wide range of ways.

"We hope the generation of pupils now in Malvern schools will all benefit from this initiative," said headteacher Peter Buchanan, who thanked QinitiQ for its contribution.

"Anything that comes in five figures is very welcome. We're delighted with the support we've had from QinetiQ and many other smaller concerns have expressed a willingness to support us.

"It's a big project and we are sure it will be successful."

Mr Buchanan said he hoped the bid for specialist status would be submitted by October and that the outcome would be known by Christmas.

Graham Holmes, head of site at QinetiQ, said the firm recognised the importance of its national and regional links.

"We're delighted to support Dyson Perrins' bid to achieve specialist engineering and business status," he said.

"Ours is very much a company built on the excellence of its employees and any scheme designed to foster young talent in the fields of science and engineering is to be applauded."