A HIGH-achieving school struggling to raise cash to secure specialist status won the support of a visiting MP.

Shadow Education Secretary Tim Collins said that under a Conservative government, the £50,000 schools had to raise to gain specialist status would be scrapped.

After failing to win support from local businesses, Huntcliff School, in Saltburn, has yet to reach the target to achieve specialist status in humanities, such as English and geography. The title, with a March deadline, would make way for further Government funding to improve facilities and interaction with community projects.

The school, which has 500 pupils, received a supportive response from Tory MP Mr Collins during a tour of the region on Wednesday.

He said: "I completely accept that there is lack of support for high-achieving schools, such as Huntcliff, who are assumed not to be in need of help.

"But what the Conservatives are proposing is to set up a school expansion fund which would provide resources for good-grade schools."

Mr Collins told a group of students that fundraising for the £50,000 set by Labour was not a fair target for schools.

He said it was an unrealistic requirement for smaller schools in less wealthy areas.

Assistant headteacher Val Clayden told how businesses in Saltburn are not digging deep enough to help a local school.

With the balance standing still at £25,000, she said: "We have been extremely disappointed with the response."