The new Engineering colleges
To add to the 50 existing Engineering Specialist Schools, from September 2006, the following schools will be adding an Engineering specialism to their curriculum:
Essex - St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled School
Derby - Sinfin Community School
Blackburn with Darwen - Darwen Vale High School
Sefton - St George of England High School
Walsall - Frank F Harrison Community School
North Yorkshire - Ripon Grammar School
Additionally, with the joint specialism in Languages and Engineering
Lincolnshire - Spalding Grammar School
New vocational specialist schools
The first cohort of specialist vocational schools has also been announced:
Nottinghamshire - Aldercar Community Language College
Dorset - Ashdown Technology College
Nottinghamshire - Ashfield School - A Technical College
Cheshire - Ashton-on-Mersey School
Suffolk - Benjamin Britten High School
Northamptonshire - Brooke Weston CTC
County Durham - Carmel RC Technology College
West Yorkshire - Dixons City Academy
Shropshire - Ercall Wood Technology College
Essex - Greensward College
West Midlands - Haybridge High School
Kent - Hayesbrook School
Kent - Hillview School for Girls
Derbyshire - Kirk Hallam Community Technology College
Derbyshire - Lees Brook Community Sports College
Suffolk - Leiston Community High School
Cleveland - Macmillan Academy
Lancashire - Middleton Technology School
Essex - Notley High School
Cornwall - Penryn College
East Sussex - Ringmer Community College
London - St Paul's Way Community School And Arts College
Derbyshire - Swanwick Hall School
Lincolnshire - The Gleed Girls' Technology College
West Midlands - Tile Hill Wood School & Language College
Surrey - Warwick School
Vocational innovation and excellence will be celebrated and championed by these schools.
The target is that 200 schools will become vocational specialist schools by 2008. Vocational specialist schools will have a key role to play in driving up the numbers of young people achieving level 2 qualifications, including functional English and mathematics. They will also have a role to play in the development and introduction of the new specialised diplomas, and increasing post-16 participation rates.
Redesignating schools that met this year’s high performing specialist school criteria were invited to apply to lead the new vocational specialism. The schools will work with partner organisations to offer every young person a rich vocational curriculum. These schools will focus on the ambition of ‘employability for life’, improving students’ aspirations and employability skills.
EEF supports the specialist school initiative, and encourages member companies to sponsor and engage with schools, particularly those with relevant specialisms, such as Engineering, Technology, Science, Maths & Computing, and Business & Enterprise.