Ref. 28660-36THE Ridgeway School has celebrated winning specialist status in science by holding an open day.

To achieve specialist status the school had to raise £50,000 and present a complex bid outlining the way the additional funds would be spent.

The Government will now give the school an extra £100,000 plus £123 per pupil per year for the next four years.

Liz Laidler, data manager at Ridgeway School, said: "Local companies and parents who helped us achieve specialist status were invited to attend and joined us for a celebratory lunch.

"They also visited the school's laboratory to see science in action."

Some of the money will be used to build a creative planet centre in the school, which will benefit all subjects, not just science. This will be a hands-on science centre.

The school also used the open day to launch an environmental competition.

Pupils in Year Seven and Eight are being challenged to produce a design for an environmentally sensitive garden.

Rebecca Dawson of the Wroughton Science Museum is working with the school, advising pupils on all aspects of gardening and landscape design.

The emphasis will be on conservation, wildlife and sustainability.