Specialist status for Somerset schools

Ministers want all secondary schools to specialise

Eight secondary schools in Somerset, BANES and North Somerset have been awarded specialist status by the government.

School Standards Minister, David Miliband, confirmed the successful applicants on Tuesday.

Schools bidding for specialist status have to raise £50,000 in sponsorship and put together a four-year development plan for raising standards in all subjects.

Successful applicants receive a grant of £100,000 plus an extra £123 per pupil per year.

They can also select up to 10% of their pupils by "aptitude" for their specialist subject.

New specialist schools

Chew Valley School

St Mark's CofE School

Wadham School

Ansford Community School

The Blake School

The Blue School

Holyrood Community School

St Katherine's School

This contingent is part of the largest round of specialist awards so far, with 245 schools nationally due to take up their new status in September.

Mr Miliband said: "We are replacing the old one-size-fits-all system with tailor made learning, built around the talents and needs of every child, to ensure that every child will get the individual attention they need and deserve.

"Specialist schools are central to this radical reform."

The minister also announced the first 103 schools to take part in Leading Edge Partnerships.

These involve a number of schools who have agreed to work together to raise standards by sharing practice and developing new and different approaches to teaching and learning.

Two schools in the area - Crispin Grammar School in Street and Gordano School in Portishead - have been chosen for the Leading Edge scheme.