Arts, Language, Sports and Technology Colleges receive two sorts of additional funding. All specialist schools are expected to target around one third of their specialist school grant on sharing resources and expertise in their specialist curriculum area with other non-specialist schools and their local community. The Government expects the number of specialist schools to expand to 800 by September 2003. These are spread across all parts of England in over 130 Local Education Authorities and are located in rural, inner city and other urban areas. The selection criteria give preference to applications from schools in areas where there are no specialist schools.
Location is only one factor which is taken into account.
Each specialist schools competition will be different. Where all other factors are equal, preference will be given to applicants which are not close to existing specialist schools and some preference will be given to applications in areas of social deprivation. Applicant schools which are geographically close to an existing specialist school, particularly if they are applying for the same specialism, will need to show how diversity in their area would be increased were they to succeed in applying to be an Arts, Language, Sports or Technology College.