Furze Down School in Winslow is aiming to raise £20,000 of sponsorship to apply for Communication and Interaction specialist status which the school says fits in well with the its current expertise and needs of the pupils.

If the school achieves specialist status they will have to take part in a building project initially with facilities for the wider community.

Sue Collins, head teacher at the school, said: "There's a real need for a venue for training in the north of the county and where we see the capital money going is a training room or training facilities for local people to access them."

The school has a group called BOFFINS which was set up 18 months ago to raise funds for the school and will play a key part in raising the money.

Mrs Collins added: "For specialist status the money has to come from the private sector and has to be unconditional and not through charity, however I think the BOFFINS had at least 400 names they can write to as a result of a visionary day we held in June so hopefully there'll be further interest from them."

It is currently a community special school for pupils aged five to 19 and was given an outstanding rating in its last Ofsted inspection in February 2006.

In a letter to businesses and parents, parent governor, Chris Lever, said: "The staff and governors feel specialist status offers a great opportunity for Furze Down to build on its strengths and to become a centre of excellence in the chosen field of communication and interaction.

"It would help the school to become a central hub for pupils in the north of the county and offer specialist support to neighbouring mainstream schools and colleges."

Once the school has raised the money from private sector sponsorship they will be given a one-off government grant of £100,000 followed by £60,000 of funding over four years before it can re-apply for specialist status.

They will be taking part in a number of fundraising activities with local businesses, trusts, school events and parents.