A HIGH school has launched a bid to raise £23,000 from local businesses to establish itself as a centre of excellence for science, maths and technology.

But bosses at St Augustine's RC High School, Billington, said companies were slow in coming forward to support the scheme.

The school has to raise £50,000 to achieve technology status from the Government, enabling it to receive £500,000 over four years from the Department for Education.

Half the £50,000 must come from local businesses and the other half from private donations and school fundraising.

The school's deputy head teacher, Phil Mooney, said the private cash had been raised almost immediately, but only £2,000 was forthcoming from Lancashire firms.

"We hope to apply for technology status next March, but the battle is on to raise the outstanding amount from local businesses by then. Technology status will will enable us to develop partnerships with feeder schools and other secondary schools in the area. Furthermore, local businesses will be able to use our facilities in the evenings for staff training and other purposes.

"Pupils and parents have been quick to come up with numerous fundraising ideas aimed at raising £25,000, including a reunion night and gala ball, but things are moving a lot slower with businesses. We are turning out some fantastic youngsters, who go on to contribute greatly to community life, and deserve a chance to achieve special status for their school."

Former pupils at St Augustine's include Blackburn Rovers and England footballer David Dunn, former Preston North End footballer Gareth Ainsworth and England netballer Anna Newell.

The school was awarded beacon status last year and has received a School of Achievement Award from the Department of Education for two years running.

It was identified by Nottingham University as having one of the 12 best school leadership teams in the country and has been praised twice by Ofsted inspectors for the quality of its exam grades, with 72 per cent of pupils achieving five GCSE passes at Grades A to C.

An information technology suite at the school was used in a ground-breaking scheme to offer computer training to parents in a series of nightschool classes.

Plans are also afoot at Bowland High School in Grindleton near Clitheroe to apply for special status as a centre for excellence in performing arts.