The Delves Community School, on Hayes Lane, has been awarded specialist status in sport and hopes to use the £100,000 grant to build an all-weather floodlit sports pitch.

Staff, parents, pupils, the Friends of the Delves group and local businesses all helped to raise £20,000 for the school, which caters for 70 five to 16-year-olds with special needs in order for it to gain the new status.

The new facilities will also be welcome news for the community and other local schools, who will all be able to benefit from the brand new resources.

As well as the £100,000 grant, the school will also receive and extra £129 per pupil, which will allow for improved coaching and increase the range of sports and courses available to pupils.

Headteacher Keith Mckenzie said: “This is a wonderful achievement which would not have been possible without support from the local community, businesses, and everybody at the school.

“It has taken four years of hard work to achieve this. It is great news for the school and for the local community and we would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this success.”