In England, City Technology Colleges (CTCs) are state-funded all-ability secondary schools that charge no fees but are independent of local authority control, being overseen directly by the Department for Children, Schools and Families. One fifth of their capital costs are met by private business sponsors, who also own or lease the buildings. The rest of the capital costs, and all running costs, are met by the Department.¹

City Technology Colleges teach the National Curriculum, but specialise in mainly technology-based subjects such as technology, science and mathematics. Like maintained schools, they are regularly inspected by the Office for Standards in Education. CTCs also forge close links with businesses and industry (mainly through their sponsors), and often their governors are directors of local or national businesses that are supporting or have supported the colleges. The programme has been successful in the long term with all the CTCs being considered strong establishments with consistently high academic results.¹

The CTC programme was established in the late 80s by the Conservative government under the terms of the Education Reform Act 1988 and the Colleges themselves opened in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The Learning and Skills Act 2000 introduced a similar type of school, the City Academy, later renamed Academy. Differences include halving the financial commitment of sponsor, and being bound by the Schools Admissions Code. The current Labour government is encouraging CTCs to convert into academies.¹

In all, 15 City Technology Colleges were created, of which all but three have converted to academies:¹²

See also

• Specialist school

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} "CTCs (City Technology Colleges)". Department for Children, Schools and Families. Retrieved on 2008-11-11.
2. ^ "House of Commons Hansard Written Answers". UK Parliament (2002-05-19). Retrieved on 2008-11-11.