ENGLAND

What are specialist schools?

There are four types of specialist schools specialising in arts (fine, performing and media arts), sports (PE and sport), technology (technology, science and mathematics) or language (modern foreign languages). Specialist schools are part of a government scheme, in partnership with private sponsors, to help improve individual schools and consequently the resources and facilities of their local communities. Specialist schools have to adhere fully to the National Curriculum, but can focus on their chosen specialist subject.

How do schools become specialist?

Any standard secondary school can apply to be designated as a specialist school. To do so a school has to prepare a four-year development plan with targets in teaching and learning in the specialist subject area, raise private sponsorship (in the form of equipment or cash) and involve other schools and the wider community. If the government grants specialist status the school qualifies for extra funding to improve the facilities in the field in which they are specialising. They then receive further funding to help implement the four-year plan. Neighbouring schools and communities should be able to benefit from this funding through the use of the specialist school’s resources and facilities.

Where are specialist schools?

There are 536 specialist schools in operation (608 have now been designated as specialist schools - March 2001). This is predicted to rise to 1000 by September 2003. A list of specialist schools is available from the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). (Please note this site may down temporarily.)

(NB. This link takes you to an Excel spreadsheet and will say, ‘The document you are about tocontains macros. Some macros may contain harmful viruses. If you are sure this document is from a trusted source, click Yes. If you are not sure and want to prevent any macros from running, click No.’ The ‘macros’ enable you to sort the spreadsheet by LEA, school or specialist subject – useful if you are looking for a specialist school in your area. If you choose not to enable the ‘macros’ you will only be able to view the list. However, as the link is to a ‘trusted source’ (the DfES), it should be fine to click, ‘Yes’.)

Admission details

A specialist school is allowed to select up to 10% of its total intake. It may select pupils with a particular aptitude in the subject in which it specialises. However, government surveys have revealed that only 7% of all specialised schools tend to apply this selective policy. In reality, the basic admission process tends to be no different to other secondary schools. For more information see Admission Policies.

Performance of schools

According to a research study by Professor David Jesson of the University of York, the academic results of specialist schools at Key Stage 2 only appeared slightly better than comprehensives; by Key Stage 4, 53% of pupils at specialist schools gained A*-C grade at GCSE compared to just 43% in normal comprehensives (2000). Such a difference suggests that the value-added by specialist schools is greater than that of normal secondary schools. At present 43% of specialist schools are in the top quarter of all schools based on their value added performance, compared with only 22% for the other comprehensive schools. In areas of high deprivation specialist schools also appear to do well.

More information

The Department for Education and Skills has contacts and further information about the specialist schools scheme on its website.

SCOTLAND

In Scotland, the equivalent of specialist schools are called Centres of Excellence, specialising in Music, Dance, Traditional Music, Sport and Modern Language. They are funded by the Scottish Executive’s Excellence Fund - £14 million over three years was set-aside in 1999 to establish and support these specialist centres. The specialist centres’ facilities are designed to be national centres and accessible to pupils from all over Scotland.

At the moment there are nine ‘centres of excellence’. The schools have to follow a Scottish curriculum; and unlike their counterparts in England the schools are selective – pupils can only gain admission if they have a particular aptitude in a ‘specialist’ subject.

For a list of the centres of excellence in Scotland, contact the Scottish Executive at .

WALES

Wales does not have a national scheme of specialist state schools. Local Education Authorities will be able to inform you about any specialist schools in your area and their admission policies.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Northern Ireland does not have a national scheme of specialist schools. Within the independent sector there are some schools which specialise in the Irish language.

INDEPENDENT SECTOR

At present, there is no list of specialist independent schools available. If you are looking for an independent school, which specialises in any particular subject be it drama, music, sport, art or science, you could check with any of a number of educational consultancy services. For more information about the independent sector visit our Choosing an independent school section.

Scotland

Of the 117 independent schools in Scotland, only one is classified as a specialist school, St Mary’s Music School, Edinburgh. The school holds auditions for both choristers and instrumentalists as part of their admission procedure. The school is also part of the Aided-Places scheme. In this scheme The Scottish Executive funds a proportion of the school fees to enable musically talented children, whose parents may not be able to afford the full fees, to attend the school.

To contact the school, write St Mary’s Music School, Coates Hall, 25 Grosvenor Crescent, Edinburgh EH12 5EL.

ORGANISATIONS

Technology Colleges Trust – including this useful FAQ section about specialist schools
Independent School Information Service
The Department for Education and Skills
The Scottish Executive
The Welsh Assembly
The Department of Education – Northern Ireland