RICKMANSWORTH School was one of six education institutions in Hertfordshire to be awarded specialist school status this week.

Staff and students at the school in Scots Hill celebrated following the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) announcement that it had been granted arts college status.

The announcement sees the number of specialist schools in Hertfordshire rise to 23 a figure which accounts for almost a third of secondary schools across the Local Education Authority (LEA).

Bids for specialist status are invited from schools in March and October each year.

As part of the bid process schools must prepare a four-year business plan outlining how it would use specialist funding to benefit pupils at the school and the local community.

Schools must also raise £50,000 in sponsorship.

Secondary schools in the Watford area awarded specialist status include Watford Grammar School for Girls (visual arts), St Clement Danes School (languages), Bushey Meads School (technology), Westfield Community School and College (technology), Parmiter's School (technology).