Two Bradford schools were today celebrating becoming the latest in the city to gain "specialist" status.

Belle Vue Girls' School at Heaton will from September be known as a specialist languages college, while Salt Grammar at Baildon will be a specialist centre for maths and computing, the first in the district.

And South Craven School at Cross Hills has also been successful, gaining specialist status in technology and engineering.

All three will be handed extra funding of more than £600,000 each over four years to develop their work with their own students and their local communities.

At Salt Grammar, head teacher Sue Mansfield said: "We have been like a bottle of pop ever since we knew about this, but we couldn't say anything about it until today."

Specialist schools earn extra cash to help them raise standards in their given subject and work with neighbouring schools. They get £100,000 for capital projects as well as extra funding per pupil of around £150,000 per year for four years.

Mrs Mansfield said the school was aiming to build on its already-strong showing in Maths, and would be developing the use of ICT across the whole curriculum. Specialist courses on offer to people in the Baildon community will include Accountancy and Maths for Business.

At Belle Vue Girls' School, head teacher Alan Hall, who is due to retire in July, said: "It's nice to leave on such a successful note for the school."

Belle Vue will be expanding the number of different languages available to its pupils - it has piloted the teaching of Arabic this year. It is also opening a languages centre of excellence at Green Lane Primary, Manningham.

And a new languages block will offer adult education classes at the campus in Thorn Lane.

The two new specialist colleges mean there are now 11 in the district. Hanson, Beckfoot and Grange are technology colleges; Holy Family RC at Keighley is a languages school while Oakbank, Thornton Grammar and Tong/Yorkshire Martyrs are specialist sports colleges. Rhodesway has specialist status in visual arts.

Other schools preparing bids include Challenge College, Wyke Manor, Laister-dyke, and Queensbury.

Schools Section