Language College Status

The Specialist Schools Programme helps schools to develop identities through their chosen specialisms. The schools achieve this in partnership with private sector sponsors and through additional government funding.

Specialist schools focus on their chosen subject area, providing enhanced learning opportunities in this field.

They must also meet the requirements of the National Curriculum, to deliver a wide and balanced range of subjects. There are twelve specialist areas: arts, business & enterprise, engineering, humanities, language, mathematics & computing, music, science, special specialism, sports, technology and vocational. Schools can opt to teach two specialist subjects (such as a humanities and media arts specialism or a science and engineering specialism).

Specialist schools are an important part of the Government's plans to raise standards in secondary education. The target of 2000 specialist schools has already been met 18 months early in February 2005.

What are Specialist Schools

The Specialist Schools Programme (SSP) helps schools, in partnership with private sector sponsors and supported by additional Government funding, to establish distinctive identities through their chosen specialisms and achieve their targets to raise standards.

Specialist schools have a special focus on those subjects relating to their chosen specialism but must also meet the National Curriculum requirements and deliver a broad and balanced education to all pupils.

Any maintained secondary school in England can apply for specialist status in one of ten specialisms: arts, business & enterprise, engineering, humanities, languages, mathematics & computing, music, science, sports and technology. Schools can also combine any two specialisms. Special schools can apply for an SEN specialism in one of the four areas of the SEN code of practice.

The Vision

Language Colleges raise standards of achievement and the quality of teaching and learning in modern foreign languages for all pupils using this as a catalyst for whole school improvement.

They are active partners in a learning society with their local family of schools, colleges, higher education institutions, business and their community, sharing resources and developing and sharing good practice. They help children to progress from primary language learning through to lifelong learning.

Language Colleges play a key role in supporting the National Languages Strategy, which aims to transform the countrys capability in languages, encouraging languages for life and languages for all.

They promote a learning culture which is international, technological, enterprising and vocational, and which values language learning as an activity and regards performance with languages as a key skill for UK citizens of the 21st century.

They value and support the community languages of their pupils, and provide young people with the skills needed to progress into employment, further training or higher education according to their individual needs.

They raise participation rates in modern foreign languages, and enhance language learning opportunities for their pupils and for their local learning community.

As leading practitioners they share their growing expertise with other Language Colleges and with national and international networks of schools to promote excellence and innovation.

Ethos and key characteristics

Language Colleges are expected to develop a visible Language College character that is understood by pupils, parents and the community. They are outward looking schools which prepare students to be global citizens.

Language Colleges will:

• Take a leading role in the promotion of the National Languages Strategy, including support for the delivery of an entitlement to language learning for primary pupils and active promotion of take-up of the new Key Stage 4 entitlement including in partner schools - see www.dfes.gov.uk/languages for more information.
• Increase the take-up of languages at all levels including post-16, offering a diverse range of languages and providing opportunities for pupils where possible/appropriate to learn and gain certification in their community languages.
• Encourage a high status for language learning which permeates the whole school curriculum; and raise awareness of the importance of languages to careers through business links, vocational courses and work-related opportunities.
• Develop innovative models for the teaching, learning and accreditation of languages, for example, through the Languages Ladder and develop languages and literacy links to facilitate transferable language skills.
• Use ICT/multimedia to aid the development of Virtual Language Communities and provide other enrichment experiences for students to extend their language competence. Develop partnerships with schools abroad, promoting an international ethos that values different cultures and participate in international programmes via e.g. the British Council. The SST can also help to facilitate overseas links and opportunities.