A CITY school is calling on the business community to lend its support to an ambitious half-million-pound scheme to see it become one of the best IT centres in the country.

Blessed Edward Oldcorne RC High School is applying for Specialist Schools Status in IT and mathematics.

Head teacher, Sean Devlin, has some ambitious plans for how the local business community can help the school, and it can help them.

"By the time we've finished our current building work and renovations we'll have a computer suite all the way across the top floor, equivalent in size to three classrooms," said Mr Devlin.

"My aim is to offer businesses our resources out of hours, and during school holidays, for training purposes.

"In return, they can offer us their expertise and financial resources."

Mr Devlin is holding a breakfast meeting at the school, in Timberdine Avenue, on Thursday, July 11, at 7.30am, to expand on the opportunities available for local businesses.

The Government's Specialist Schools Status scheme encourages schools to specialise in certain subjects with a view to becoming a centre of excellence in that subject.

National Curriculum

They continue to operate as schools, with pupils studying all 10 subjects in the National Curriculum.

Mr Devlin has to submit a detailed plan to the Government and plans to make his application in October 2002, with a view to having "everything up and running" by September 2003.

Various schools in the country have already attained specialist schools status, with the areas of specialism covering sports, arts, technology and languages. In March this year, the scheme was extended to include business and enterprise, science, engineering and mathematics and computing.

The Government will give the school about £100,000 every year for four years, if the school is first able to raise £50,000.

Initiatives such as an auction of promises, due to take place in October, have already been planned to raise funds.

"We would like to find an established local business that could work alongside us on this," said Mr Devlin.

"The company would not only provide financial and other resources, but would work alongside the pupils and share their knowledge and experience.

"These youngsters are the workforce of the future and we want them to leave here among the best educated students in mathematics and computing in the country."