A SPECIAL school in Yate has been awarded college status so staff can help more children with special needs.

Culverhill School, in Kelston Close, has been named a special educational needs college by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

The school will specialise in communication and interaction and the move means the school will receive an extra £280,000 to open a new training suite and launch a community-wide disability awareness initiative.

The money will also buy new ICT equipment and additional speech and language therapy support for pupils who have communication difficulties.

Headteacher Nicki Jones said: "We are thrilled to be awarded specialist college status which means that the Department for Children, Schools and Families has recognised the excellent work that the school has been doing and now want us to share our expertise with other schools and community partners.

"We are grateful to the charities Wooden Spoon and the Rachel Charitable Trust, as well as the school’s PTA, for raising the necessary private sponsorship to make the bid possible."

Cllr Sheila Cook, executive member for children and young people at South Gloucestershire Council, said: "I would like to congratulate Culverhill School on becoming a specialist college.

"It will bring benefits to the school, other schools will be able to learn good practice from it and reflects the dedication of staff and hard work of pupils."

The status is part of the government’s specialist schools programme which aims to raise standards in secondary education by giving individual schools their own identity.