Memorandum submitted by the Specialist
Schools Trust
This submission contains case studies from seven
designated Specialist Schools:
1. Ninestiles School, Birmingham
2. John Kelly Girls' Technology College,
Brent, London
3. Southfield Technology College, Workington,
Cumbria
4. Shireland Language College, Sandwell,
West Midlands
5. St Pauls' Way School and Community Arts
College, Tower Hamlets, London
6. St Marylebone C of E School, City of
Westminster, London
7. Lipson Community College, City of Plymouth
These case studies have been chosen as representative
of positive pupil achievement, particularly in circumstances where
pupils are from ethnic minority and/or socio-economically deprived
backgrounds. They have been previously published by the Specialist
Schools Trust (formerly known as the Technology Colleges Trust),
an independent charitable trust grant-aided by the DfES, which
is the lead body for applicant and designated English secondary
schools in all specialisms except Sport. The case studies have
appeared either in publications or on the Trust's Schools Network
website www.schoolsnetwork.org.uk.
These schools represent three of the eight possible
specialisms: Technology, Arts (Performing, Visual or Media) and
Languages. Sports Colleges are in the remit of the Youth Sport
Trust. The recently added specialisms of Business and Enterprise,
Engineering, Mathematics and Computing and Science have yet to
complete their first year of specialist designation. As yet there
are no exam output figures which might indicate the impact of
specialism on pupil achievement in these schools.
The range of case studies recognises a geographical
spread, and covers a variety of aspects of specialist schools'
work. This includes specific activity in the specialist subjects,
whole school approaches, and community partnership work in and
beyond the specialism itself. In addition, each section of case
studies (divided by specialism) is introduced by a brief summary
about the schools, including age range, intake, and relevant extenuating
factors which indicate levels of ethnic minority and/or socio-economic
deprivation. These figures represent the 2002-03 academic year
situation in each school.
1. NINESTILES
SCHOOL, BIRMINGHAM
11-16 comprehensive
Designated Technology College September 1997
— 37% from ethnic backgrounds—mixed
Asian, Caribbean, other
— 17.5% have English as an additional
language
— 25.2% eligible for free school meals
(national average = 16%)
— 11.7% on the school's Special Educational
Needs register, of whom 3.6% have statements of Educational Need
GCSE %5+A*-C
| 1995 | 17%
|
| 1998 (end of first year of designation) |
38% |
| 2001 | 30% |
| 2002 | 72% |
2. JOHN KELLY
GIRLS' TECHNOLOGY
COLLEGE, BRENT,
LONDON
11-18 girls' comprehensive
Designated Technology College September 1994
— high proportion from a wide diversity of cultural
backgrounds
— 70% have English as an additional language
— 40% eligible for free school meals (national average
= 16%)
— 36% are on the Special Educational Needs register
GCSE %5+A*-C
| 1995 (end of first year of designation) |
21% |
| 2001 | 46% |
| 2002 | 42% |
3. SOUTHFIELD TECHNOLOGY
COLLEGE, WORKINGTON,
CUMBRIA
11-18 mixed comprehensive
Designated Technology College September 1998
— 27.8% eligible for free school meals (national
average = 16%)
— 17.1% are on the Special Educational Needs register
GCSE %5+A*-C
| 1995 | 26% |
| 1999 (end of first year of designation) |
20% |
| 2001 | 31% |
| 2002 | 50% |
4. SHIRELAND LANGUAGE
COLLEGE, SANDWELL,
WEST MIDLANDS
11-18 mixed comprehensive
Designated 1998
— high proportion from ethnic background, including
Indian, Pakistani and Black Caribbean
— high proportion have English as an additional
language, including early stage learners
— 38.4% eligible for free school meals (national
average = 16%)
— 56.4% are on the Special Educational Needs register
— number of refugees on the increase
— school population is very transient
GCSE %5+A*-C
| 1995 | 22% |
| 1999 (end of first year of designation) |
31% |
| 2001 | 46% |
| 2002 | 51% |
5. ST PAUL'S
WAY SCHOOL
AND COMMUNITY
ARTS COLLEGE,
TOWER HAMLETS,
LONDON
11-16 mixed comprehensive
Designated Arts College (Visual Arts) September 1998
— 80% of pupils of Bangladeshi origin
— 89% have English as an additional language
— 80% eligible for free school meals (national average
= 16%)
— 25% pupil "mobility" per annum
GCSE %5+A*-C
| 1995 | 18% |
| 1999 (end of first year of designation) |
29% |
| 2001 | 23% |
| 2002 | 41% |
6. ST MARYLEBONE
C OF E SCHOOL,
CITY OF
WESTMINSTER, LONDON
11-16 girls' comprehensive, 16-19 mixed 6th form
Designated Arts College (Performing Arts) September 1998
— 50%+ of pupils of ethnic origin
— 50%+ have English as an additional language—11%
of these in early learning stage
— 60 nationalities represented and 80 heritage languages
— Pupils with statements of Educational Need = 20
(result of LEA mainstream Inclusion policy)
— 36% eligible for free school meals (national average
= 16%)
— 13% "mobility" per annum—this
figure positively affected from previous years because school
is now over-subscribed
GCSE %5+A*-C
| 1995 | 42% |
| 1999 (end of first year of designation) |
77% |
| 2001 | 91% |
| 2002 | 93% |
7. LIPSON COMMUNITY
COLLEGE, CITY
OF PLYMOUTH
11-18 mixed comprehensive
Designated Arts College (Performing Arts) September 1998
— 15% eligible for free school meals (previously
has run at approx. 29%)
— 12.2% have English as an additional language,
including asylum seekers
— 14 home languages spoken, no figures available
for ethnic minorities
— 15.8% are on the school's Special Educational
Needs register, of whom 2.5% have statements of Educational Need
— Noticeable levels of pupil "mobility"—mainly
naval families and refugees
— "Competition" from 3 selective single-sex
grammar schools which take the "top 25%"
GCSE %5+A*-C
| 1995 | 26% |
| 1999 (end of first year of designation) |
23% |
| 2001 | 36% |
| 2002 | 41% |
February 2003
| 
