Specialist schools, which only operate in England, give pupils a broad secondary education with a strong emphasis on technology, languages, arts or sports. There are over 250 specialist schools. They charge no fees and any secondary school can apply for specialist school status. The independent school sector is separate from the state educational system, and caters for some seven per cent of all schoolchildren in England and four per cent in Scotland. Parents of pupils attending independent schools pay for their education, and in some cases fees can amount to several thousand pounds a year.
Some pupils gain scholarships and their expenses are covered by the schools.
About 250 of the larger independent schools are known for historical reasons as public schools. Eton, which was founded in 1440, is said to have been the first grammar school to be called a 'public school' because scholars could come to it from any part of England and not, as was generally the case, just from the immediate neighbourhood. Originally, many public schools stressed a classical education, character training and sports, but the curriculum is now closely allied to state education. Schools in Scotland supported by public funds are also called 'public schools' but they are not fee-paying, independent schools. The University of Oxford was the first university to be established in Britain.