A HURWORTH school desperately needs a business sponsor to enable it to push ahead with plans to become a specialist centre for maths and computing.

Hurworth Comprehensive School has only six months to raise the final £15,000 needed to back its £50,000 bid for specialist school status, or face a double whammy.

Without the cash the bidding process stops and the school will lose £20,000 of the £35,000 it has raised so far. Without a bid, the school would wave goodbye to £450,000 of extra funds over four years to update buildings, resources and facilities and employ more teachers.

A bid could be made next year but the Tees Valley Training and Enterprise grant of £20,000 will be unavailable after December. The school will then face a £35,000 shortfall before applying again.

A mammoth push from the school's parent teacher association over the past few months has raised £15,000.

But the school says there is only so much it can do and so many people it can ask for cash.

At a special meeting of Hurworth Parish Council last week, head teacher Eamon Farrar made a plea for local businesses to step into the breach. He said: "We will not reach the last £15,000 by small donations or through fundraising events.

"We have only six months left and the only way we can hope to hang on to the Tees Valley TEC grant and make up the rest is by finding a benefactor or a business sponsor.

"By raising standards in maths and computing local businesses will benefit as well as the youngsters themselves."

Carol Ellis, deputy head teacher, added: "There are extra funds for schools in deprived areas and specialist schools. Those who do not fit into either will be bog standard schools who get nothing.

"It's taken us two years to get to this stage. We chose maths and computing because they are key skills needed for life.

"We didn't want to change our broad curriculum model like some of the other schools have had to do. Maths and computing are already core subjects."

If successful, the school must also offer a range of free maths and computer courses to adult learners.

Parish councillors were asked to help engage the community and to find out which courses were most needed.

The school is also considering holding a public meeting next month.

Businesses wanting to sponsor the school are urged to ring 01325 720424 or 01325 721188.