Specialist schools
There are currently over 2975 specialist schools in England, representing
around 92 per cent of all secondary schools and 2.5 million students.
Specialist schools operate in partnership with private-sector sponsors and receive additional Government funding, allowing them to establish distinct identities through their chosen specialism and achieve targets for raising standards, while working within the requirements of the National Curriculum.
Any maintained secondary school in England can apply for specialist status, in the following areas:
- arts
- business and enterprise
- engineering
- humanities
- languages
- mathematics and computing
- music
- science
- sports
- technology
- applied learning
Special schools with secondary-age students can specialise in one of the four areas of the SEN code of practice.
Specialist schools which meet a range of criteria can also opt for a second specialism in a range of curriculum and system leadership areas.
Further information is available here.
Last updated: 24 April 2009
