NORTH Yorkshire's first business and enterprise college has been created, after the Government announced Tadcaster Grammar School had been successful in its bid.

It is the first time the school has made a bid for specialist status, which will result in it receiving £850,000-worth of funding over four years.

Deputy head, Martyn Sibley, said: "It really is fantastic. It has been a lot of hard work, but it a really good outcome."

The bid was put together a year ago by staff from the ICT, business and maths departments, along with five feeder schools.

Mr Sibley said: "We decided on business and enterprise as we felt it was one of the only specialisms, other than technology, that was really cross-curricular.

"It can be applied to every single subject in school. It is not about wealth creating, it is about individual skills."

The school had to raised £50,000 as part of the bid, and will get £100,000 straight away, along with £700,000 over the next four years.

The money will be used for a number of projects, including the creation of a £150,000 conference facility.

The school is also hoping to provide 'hot desking', which is providing computer facilities for small businesses, which would not normally have access to them.

Mr Sibley stressed the school would still be providing the facilities it has done previously.

He said: "We are still a comprehensive school and will offer a balanced curriculum for our students.

"What it means is some areas will be specialised, so we will have funds to develop areas such as business, maths and ICT.

"Other areas will benefit as ICT is cross-curricular."

Schools Minister David Miliband announced yesterday the largest ever round of schools to become specialist with 20 across Yorkshire and 245 across the country.

Burnholme Community College in York is currently putting together a bid for specialist business and enterprise status.

The bid will be submitted in October this year, and the school will find out the results in January next year.

Updated: 10:34 Wednesday, July 02, 2003