A Bradford secondary school is bidding to be the region's first specialist humanities college.

Nab Wood School, in Cottingley, is applying to the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) to specialise in English, religious education and history.

And if successful the Cottingley New Road school will initially receive £100,000, and a further £460,000 over the next four years to develop the subjects and the school as a whole.

The bid is dependent on £50,000 being raised to pay for the application, which has an October deadline, but organisers are keen to submit it by the end of the school year.

Head teacher Helen Lynch said they had chosen humanities because of their success within the three subject areas.

All year 11 students last year sat religious education GCSE and 64 per cent gained an A* to C grade, two per cent above the national average, with 27 per cent of them getting an A or A*.

In English GCSE, 31 per cent gained A to C, one per cent above the Bradford average, while history success, with 35 per cent achieving A* to C grades, is on par with the national average.

"As a school we do have to have a focus and drive for improvement and the new status would bring all staff together in a focused manner to boost attainment right across the school," said Mrs Lynch.

The school's key stage three value added measure was last year among the top 25 per cent of similar schools nationally.

The school's specialism would also help build stronger links with businesses and the communities of Manningham, Heaton and Girlington, from where most of the school's population is drawn, and with feeder primary schools.

Other objectives include improving literacy skills throughout the school and offering more vocational courses.

Now fundraising has begun in earnest and mosques within the communities are showing their support by arranging collections.

So far £12,000 has been raised.

"This has mainly come from business and parent donations and we're delighted with how well our bid has been received and we're grateful for the support," said Mrs Lynch.

Businesses have been approached for sponsorship and curriculum support, which could include business leaders running workshops or setting study challenges.

Mrs Lynch said if the bid was successful it would help support community cohesion and develop citizenship among young people.

"We want to engage all the leaders of all the communities, not just the Asian leaders, and that's the real challenge for Bradford as a city," she said.

She said the status would also help boost the school's health and social care vocational work.

From September the school will be offering a GNVQ in the subject.