Vince Cable

At the third attempt, Hampton Community College has been granted specialist status as an Arts College. The announcement will be made officially on 4th July by Schools Minister (Lord) Andrew Adonis. Most secondary schools, nationally and locally, now have this status but lack of it was acting as a brake in the progress of the College. Specialist status opens the door to extra funding and research shows that those schools which have it not only do relatively well in their specialism but achieve more academically.

Vincent Cable MP said that he was "absolutely delighted that a great deal of effort by the school and governors had been rewarded. The school has produced excellent work in drama, especially, in the last few years and there is a discernible, positive trend in academic performance and behaviour. I am very pleased that the school has agreed to host, on behalf of all the Hampton schools, a musical concert on 8th October in memory of my late wife Olympia and to raise funds for the Shooting Star Trust."