Mathematics and Computing Colleges were introduced in England in 2002 as part of the Government's Specialist Schools Programme which was designed to raise standards in secondary education. Specialist schools focus specifically on their chosen specialism but must also meet the requirements of the National Curriculum and deliver a broad and balanced education to all their pupils. Mathematics and Computing Colleges must focus on mathematics and either computing or ICT.
Colleges are expected to disseminate good practice and share resources with other schools and the wider community. They often develop active partnerships with local organisations and their feeder primary schools. They also work with local businesses to promote the use of mathematics and computing outside of school.
In 2007 there were 222 schools in England which were designated as specialist Mathematics and Computing Colleges. A further 21 schools have been designated in combined specialisms which include mathematics and computing, and 15 schools have a second specialism in Mathematics and Computing.
Famous quotes containing the words mathematics and, mathematics and/or college:
“I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.”
—John Adams (1735–1826)
“Mathematics alone make us feel the limits of our intelligence. For we can always suppose in the case of an experiment that it is inexplicable because we don’t happen to have all the data. In mathematics we have all the data ... and yet we don’t understand. We always come back to the contemplation of our human wretchedness. What force is in relation to our will, the impenetrable opacity of mathematics is in relation to our intelligence.”
—Simone Weil (1909–1943)
“A whale-ship was my Yale College and my Harvard.”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)