A LEADING school has been named as a specialist language college.

Easingwold School, which has 1,355 pupils, and takes students from North Yorkshire and the north York area, including Haxby and Wigginton, was one of 15 schools in Yorkshire and the Humber to gain specialist status.

Meanwhile, Ripon Grammar School has also received an engineering specialism. Both schools will become specialist colleges from September.

Out of 123 schools across the country which have gained specialist status as a result of the latest bidding round, only three were for languages. In order to help them develop their specialism, specialist schools received additional funding from the Government, including £100,000 for a capital project to enhance the facilities. In addition, each school itself raises £50,000 in sponsorship.

At Easingwold, the school's capital grant, together with the sponsorship, will be used to extend the Modern Foreign Languages block to accommodate two additional classrooms and storage space, plus providing additional IT equipment and software, and furniture and equipment.

Easingwold's deputy head teacher, Geoff Brookes, who led the school's bid, said: "We decided to apply for language college status as the school is committed to developing a genuinely international ethos, not only in the school itself but also among the local community.

"Language teaching is a real strength at Easingwold, and the languages department will take a lead in developing best practice across the whole curriculum so that ultimately the school becomes a beacon of learning."

Last month, Easingwold School also achieved an Investor In People standard, a nationally-recognised award of excellence in the development of personnel.

Head teacher Carey Chidwick said: "Achieving specialist status and recognition with the Investor In People standard has given a real boost to the school.

"Our stated aim is to be a world class school, where every individual develops a life-long love of learning.

"Becoming a language college will help us to achieve our aim to provide the highest standards of teaching and learning with a truly international dimension, so that our pupils are even better prepared to take their place in the world.

"We are very grateful to North Yorkshire education directorate for all the help and support they have given us."

Yesterday, the school held an International Day, with teachers bringing a foreign dimension to their lessons, and the lunch menu incorporated food from other cultures.

Pupils were also allowed to dress in their own choice of clothes, but pupils and staff were asked to wear items in their house colours, so that each house represented a different part of the world.

Updated: 10:39 Thursday, February 02, 2006