Language Colleges were introduced in 1995 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, modern foreign languages. Schools that successfully apply to the Specialist Schools Trust and become Language Colleges will receive extra funding for language teaching from this joint private sector and government scheme. Language Colleges also act as a local point of reference for other schools and businesses in the area, with an emphasis on promoting languages within the community. They are encouraged to develop links with schools and other institutions in foreign countries. There are currently 216 in the country.[1]
Language Colleges are also part of the National Languages Strategy, which promotes the learning of foreign languages within the UK.