A school has been granted £486,000 to transform its learning environment and enhance children's education.

However, St Mary's Catholic School in Portslade will have to raise £54,000 itself, ten per cent of the total cost of the £540,000 rebuilding programme, because it is a voluntary-aided school.

The rest of the money will come from the Department for Education and Skills (DfES).

Staff are calling on businesses, residents and parents for help to raise the shortfall.

Joyce Jones, headteacher of the Church Road school, said: "For a small school we are aware of how big it is to raise this amount of money but we are going to do everything we can.

"It will be wonderful when it is done. It is a brilliant opportunity for both the children and the school in general.

"It will really enhance the children's education, environment, learning, safety and security."

The school has three classrooms that are not attached to the main building, so children have to walk outside to get to the toilets, PE classes in the hall or to go to assembly.

They also have to walk outside to use the library.

The current Year 6 room is too small for the 32 children in the class and the hall itself needs refurbishing.

Mrs Jones said: "When I took over as headteacher three years ago there were 163 pupils. Now there are 213, which is a very significant increase in numbers.

"We have difficulties doing a whole school Mass for parents to share in."

The school hopes to add a new information technology suite.

The scheme will enable the school to build four new classrooms all connected to the main building, a library, additional toilets, a new hall, an extra tuition room that will be valuable for small groups, a new serving kitchen and a patio for children to eat their lunch outside.

The school, its governors and parent teacher association have already started fund-raising.

All classes are starting to come up with ideas, with Year 3 pupils raising £105 through a table-top sale of plants and cakes two weeks ago.

A working party of governors has also been set up to come up with different money-raising projects.

One of the ideas is for parents and children to sponsor a brick or for a business to sponsor a part of the new building. At the end there will be a book of acknowledgements of everyone who gave money.

The school needs to raise the money before February 2003 and is hoping to have the work completed by the following September.

Mrs Jones said: "It will be short-term disruption for long-term gain. The children and teachers here are all really excited."