THE champagne corks popped in celebration this week at Okehampton College ? the school learned its application to become a Specialist Technology College had been given the green light by government ministers.

The news means the school qualifies for a £100,000 grant to create two new science laboratories and provide

equipment for a new training facility for catering.

It will also receive around £140,000 every year for four years, to be spent on improvements at the college and at some feeder primary schools.

Chris Powell, college principal, broke the good news at Monday?s staff meeting, to a spontaneous and enthusiastic round of applause.

Mr Powell said: ?This will make a tremendous difference to our college, not just financially, but also in terms of the way in which we can approach next year ? and the years ahead.?

The new facilities at the college are in addition to the £2.4-million technology and ICT centre currently under construction and due to open in September.

Mr Powell said the extra funding would make a big difference to college students.

?There are a lot of new courses that we will be able to put in, we have managed to reduce group sizes at Key Stage III quite significantly, we will run enrichment activities for able and talented students and there will be lots of new resources in a whole variety of subject areas,? he said.

The college would continue to raise and expand its aims and expectations following accreditation. The school would have to re-apply in four years? time and by then, may even go for accreditation in another speciality.

Under the Government?s specialist schools scheme, the college had to raise a minimum of £50,000 in sponsorship from the private sector before the application could even be considered. It also had to provide a detailed plan outlining how the school would use the extra funds provided by the Government to raise achievement in technology, ICT, maths and science.

Mr Powell paid tribute to the sponsors involved in the application.

He said: ?When I

started out on this I thought it would be a very difficult job to raise the necessary £50,000 ? we actually raised over £70,000 and I would like to say most sincerely, on behalf of the college, a very big thank you. Without their support, this project would have been a complete dead duck.?

Teacher Jean Harris, who helped put the application together, said the college?s success had been down to Mr Powell?s vision and a lot of hard work.

Mrs Harris said: ?Just having a letter from the government doesn?t do this justice! I am really pleased, and the impact on our kids will be phenomenal.?

Chairman of governors John Stevens said he felt ?very privileged? to be involved with the school at such an important time in its history.

He said: ?This is a most significant and exciting time for the

college. The success of the bid is due to the determination and hard work of Chris Powell and other key staff.

?We look forward to seeing the college go from its current high standard, to becoming a centre of excellence in education within the county.?

One of the sponsors of the application, Simon Essex of the Manor House Hotel, said specialist accreditation was possibly the best thing to have happened to the college for a number of years, which would recognise and benefit the technical skills of a vast number of students.

He said he was ?absolutely sure? the school would take advantage of the boost in finance and equipment over the next four years.

Cindy Squire, vice-chairman of the school?s parents? association, said the PTFA had been ?totally supportive? of the bid and had worked hard to raise funds towards the application.

?It?s fantastic news, just brilliant,? she said.

Okehampton?s mayor Christine Marsh said: ?This is the best thing that?s ever happened to this college ? and it?s thoroughly deserved.

?It has far reaching consequences for the school and for the whole area ? I?m over the moon for everybody.?

The complete list of sponsors who helped make specialist technology college accreditation possible at Okehampton include Manor House and Ashbury Hotels, Okehampton United Educational Foundation, Donald?s Menswear, Okehampton Glass, the Rotary Club of Okehampton, Bob Gee and Co, Mr K Heard, Waitrose Limited, Okehampton College PTFA, the HSBC Education Trust, KC Digital Services Ltd and the Okehampton Lodge of Obedience.