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Youngsters at St Matthew's High School raised ?8,000 for the Francis House children's hospice as well as supporting initiatives for the elderly through the school's St Vincent de Paul's society.

Headteacher Brian McNulty, speaking at the school's annual awards ceremony, congratulated staff, pupils and governors for one of the best years yet.

He said: "These activities, events and initiatives formed the core for the more mundane but essential events that are part of the modern school such as fundraising to buy resources, raising examination achievements and improving pupil attendance.

"But it is these good works that provide the real purpose for all the other work we do."

In his annual report Mr McNulty highlighted the school's production of the 'Dracula Spectacula' and the school band's German tour.

There was also praise for the football, basketball, netball and athletics squads who took championship titles in their competitions and for the many other groups who were runners up in their fields.

Mr McNulty also highlighted gaining third-year funding as a Technology College and designation as a City Learning Centre attracting an extra ?1m from next September.

The school also celebrated its highest ever GCSE pass rate at grades A to G and the continuing success of the Phoenix Centre in helping pupils with disruptive behaviour and training hundreds of other schools.

Recognition for the work of the Phoenix centre had resulted in an invitation to the Dome from Prime Minister Tony Blair where he spoke of the importance of millennium projects including the Phoenix.

Mr McNulty joked that, despite its association with the Dome, the Phoenix project had been a great success and had featured on BBC TV and radio as well as in the nationally distributed DfEE magazine.