Language Colleges were introduced in 1995 as part of the specialist schools programme (SSP) in the United Kingdom. The system enabled

secondary school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

s to specialise in certain fields, in this case, modern foreign languages. Schools that successfully applied to the Specialist Schools Trust and became Language Colleges received extra funding for language teaching from this joint private sector and government scheme. Language Colleges act as a local point of reference for other schools and businesses in the area, with an emphasis on promoting languages within the community. They are also encouraged to develop links with schools and other institutions in foreign countries. There were 216 Language Colleges in the country by 2010. The specialist schools programme was discontinued by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government in April 2011. Since then schools can become Language Colleges either through academisation or through the Dedicated Schools Grant.

LC-SE project

The LC-SE project was a joint Franco-British educational programme conducted by the SST, DfES,

French Ministry of Education French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Fran ...

and the Centre International d'Études Pédagogiques (CIEP). Specialist schools, usually Language Colleges, formed partnerships with

European section European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe ...

schools in France. The project began in 2001 when French Minister of Education, Jack Lang, met with the SST. Partnerships between 100 Language Colleges and

Lycées In France, secondary education is in two stages: * ''Collèges'' () cater for the first four years of secondary education from the ages of 11 to 15. * ''Lycées'' () provide a three-year course of further secondary education for children betwee ...

soon followed. Specialist Science Colleges were invited to join the project in 2006 and by 2007 all other SSP schools could take part.

References

{{Specialist schools Educational institutions established in 1995 Educational institutions disestablished in 2010 Language education in the United Kingdom 1995 establishments in the United Kingdom Specialist schools programme