Shortage of specialist schools

Scores of London schools are missing out on the chance to become specialist schools because companies are reluctant to sponsor them.

Government advisers today urged the capital's business leaders to back the schools, which could otherwise lose millions in extra funds.

The appeal was issued by the Specialist Schools Trust, the charity that advises ministers on the scheme, after Chancellor Gordon Brown announced its expansion.

In this week's Budget, he revealed plans to fund up to 1,000 more specialist schools, giving each an average £500,000 extra over four years for teaching and facilities in subjects ranging from sport and the arts to science and business.

The latest GCSE results for the 1,950 schools already designated specialist have improved at three times the rate of other comprehensives. Fifty-six per cent of pupils get at least five good GCSEs, compared with 47.1 per cent in all comprehensives. The Government hopes the specialist school revolution can drive up standards in general. But before a school can apply it must raise £50,000 in sponsorship, usually from local firms, to show the "seriousness" of its bid.

Today the Specialist Schools Trust admitted that this was proving more of a barrier in London than elsewhere. Only 195 of the capital's 411 secondary schools are specialist (47 per cent) compared with 54 per cent nationwide.

Trust chairman Sir Cyril Taylor said there were 138 London schools which want to bid for specialist status but were not in a position to do so - many because they have yet to attract enough sponsorship.

"It is a paradox, because London is such a rich city," he said. "Some of the biggest corporate sponsors assume their money is less needed in the capital, but that is far from the case. There are many schools in poorer areas of London which need specialist status badly."

Exceptions include carpet magnate Lord Harris, who sponsors 12 specialist schools in south London, banks such as HSBC and Goldman Sachs, GlaxoSmithKline, and the Corporation of the City of London.

The Specialist Schools Trust is now launching a drive for sponsors through London First, which represents 300 firms. Chairman Stephen O'Brien said: "There are so many businesses in London it is difficult to get a message across to them all. The reason they haven't supported specialist schools is they haven't been asked in a coherent way."

Head teacher William Atkinson won sponsorship for Phoenix High School, Shepherd's Bush, from the millionaire philanthropist Peter Lampl. Phoenix is the successor to The Hammersmith School which shut after a damning Ofsted report in 1995. Mr Atkinson said: "It was easier for us than for schools in challenging circumstances who do not have the same profile."