A LEIGH headteacher wants companies to sponsor his school in its bid to become a specialist business and enterprise college.

Bedford High School will bid to become a business and enterprise college in March 2002 -- but before they bid, £50,000 in sponsorship needs to be raised.

If the school is successful they could be in line for almost £1m worth of extra government funds, enabling them to give pupils more opportunities in business education.

Headteacher Stephen Preston said originally Bedford was aiming to be a specialist art college but when the government announced schools could bid to specialise in business and enterprise he knew that was more suited to the school.

Quantum leap

Mr Preston said: "I thought business and enterprise was the one for Bedford, particularly because we were just about to take a quantum leap in terms of IT facilities. I have just done a deal with a computer firm for £280,000 worth of IT equipment which will be installed in January. "

He added that the Manchester Road school, which has just under 1,200 pupils aged between 11 and 16, is already strong in the business area.

In October the school's Investor in People status was successfully reviewed and it has won the Platinum Award for work related learning.

Mr Preston said they were considering organising work experience placements for pupils abroad and that they had recently offered two new GCSE subjects in Law and Media Studies.

If the bid is successful, on top of the £50,000 in sponsorship money raised, the school will receive £100,000 from the government, then £123,000 every year from the government for a minimum of four years. Mr Preston said this would more likely be eight years.

As a business and enterprise college Bedford High would provide first class facilities for pupils, staff the community and local businesses, help build pathways between Higher Education and the world of work and equip pupils for work.

Eight other linked schools including St Mary's RC School and Leigh CE Junior School will also benefit.

Businesses who sponsor the venture will have free access to the school's community resource and conference centre, opportunities for training for employees in ICT, business skills, maths and basic skills and the opportunity to join the school's governing body.