A third school in the district has achieved specialised status in business and enterprise.

Bingley Grammar joins Laisterdyke and Butter-shaw colleges in gaining recognition from the DfES.

Bingley Grammar staff will now work with the nine catchment primaries in its area to encourage enterprise in young people throughout the district.

Steven Crawshaw, Bradford & Bingley group chief executive, attended a celebration at the school to mark the change in status.

Mr Crawshaw said: "A school and its students can only thrive if it continues to change. If you do nothing else in school you should take risks and be adaptable to change.

"If young people can use their time here to embrace change they will have a head start on their peers."

Bingley Grammar head teacher Chris Taylor, said: "Being a Business and Enterprise College will allow us to build on the responsibility of learning with our young people.

"Bradford & Bingley was the main sponsors in our bid.

"We want people to leave the school with the skills to succeed in business.

"For us it is a hugely important development that we can now embark on.

"The enterprise culture will allow us to develop a culture of risk-taking which is crucial for our young people as they move forward into business."

The school's first major business and enterprise event will see all year ten pupils take on a manufacturing challenge.

Business and enterprise co-ordinator Janet Craven said: "Keighley and District Training and Learning (KADTAL) will be running the event which will show the pupils how to manage the development, productivity and financial capability of a simulated manufacturing company.

"They will gain an understanding of market pressures, target setting, quality control, health and safety issues, work roles and organisational processes."

Bingley Grammar staff will also work with Year Six pupils at Crossflatts Primary as part of a project called Our World.

Mrs Craven added: "This will see pupils introduced to important aspects of global trade.

"It will help them to understand that just as friends, families and communities rely on each other, so do the nations of the world. It will outline the basic ideas behind import and export trade in a fun way."

Bingley Grammar assistant head teacher and director of business and enterprise, Paula Robinson, said pupils at the school and its feeder primaries could look forward to "exciting times ahead".

e-mail: dan.webber@bradford.newsquest.co.uk