By Richard SmithMOTHERS returning to work will be among members of the community to benefit from a school's plan to become a specialist technology college.
By Richard Smith
MOTHERS returning to work will be among members of the community to benefit from a school's plan to become a specialist technology college.
Orwell High School in Felixstowe has raised more than £50,000 in sponsorship to fund an application to the Government for the specialist status.
The bid was submitted to the Department for Education and Science this month and the school will be told by the end of June if it has been successful.
The school would receive £100,000 to improve facilities and an extra £100,000 a year for three years if successful with its bid. The total package, including the school's sponsorship, is worth £450,000.
Orwell High School is currently spending £250,000, with financial assistance from the county council, to refurbish all the information and communication technology rooms (ICT).
The extra money available from a specialist school status would be spent on improving exam results in design and technology, ICT, maths and science by upgrading facilities and equipment.
A photographic darkroom, a Lifelong Learning Centre with computers, a Felixstowe community website, video-conferencing and distance learning packages, the provision of digital cameras for schools and the supply of support, training and materials for schools in Felixstowe are planned.
John Osborne, acting deputy headteacher, said there was an opportunity to broaden the school's perspective and bring in changes to benefit all the town - including mothers needing training for jobs and businesses requiring young people with the necessary skills.
n Hadleigh High School has also raised £50,000 in sponsorship in its bid to become a specialist science college.
If its bid is successful, the school will get almost £500,000 from the Government, spread over four years.
The school plans to extend its science and maths accommodation to include a new flexible work area.
It will also introduce laptop computers, add to its ICT equipment to extend the range of teaching and learning approaches available and invest £100,000 of the funding in its feeder primary schools.
richard.smith@eadt.co.uk
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