ONE local school is ensuring the best quality of business education for its pupils by encouraging close links with the local community.

Spalding Grammar School will officially unveil its most recent building at a naming ceremony later this month and at the same time will formally launch plans for the next phase of the school's development: a business and conference centre.

The naming ceremony will officially open a new building which contains an ICT suite, drama block, classrooms and a new library.

The £1.6 million project has taken two years to complete and has been designed with the community in mind.

Parts of the building will be named recognising significant benefactors, including former pupil John Measures who left money to the school in his will, together with former parents who have also made large donations.

Work has also started this week on the new business and conference centre which is due to be completed by Easter 2009 at a cost of £500,000.

The new building will include an upper floor with hi-tech teaching facilities and a lecture theatre and boardroom downstairs.

From September 2009 the school will offer a diploma course in business administration and finance to its sixth form in line with national guidelines to provide more vocational training options for pupils.

Deputy headteacher Peter Wasley said: "We aim to provide a facility that can be used to build strong links with the local community whilst providing the opportunity for our students to get a better understanding of business and enterprise."

The launch evening will invite local interested sponsors to have an input into the development with the possibility for significant contributors to have a lasting legacy through the naming of parts of the building.

The school is looking to explore opportunities to use visiting experts and expertise as well as learning activities based in the real world, relationships with student mentors outside of the school environment and preparing students for adulthood through a process of more meaningful work experience and work related learning activities.

Headteacher Nigel Ryan said: "It is important our young people gain a real understanding of the world outside and of current and emerging practice in the world of work, business and enterprise on their doorstep."