Up to 2010 secondary and special schools could apply for specialist status allowing them to specialise in a specific field in order to boost achievement. Some schools gained more than one specialism. In order to become a specialist school, a school had to meet certain criteria and receive a recommendation from the School Improvement Partner.
Specialist status has now been withdrawn but many schools continue to promote their specialism. The following shows the specialisms held by Warrington schools in 2010.
- Arts: Bridgewater (Performing Arts), Penketh (Media arts)
- Business and enterprise: Birchwood
- Engineering ; Great Sankey
- Humanities: Culcheth, St Gregory’s
- Languages: Lymm
- Mathematics and computing: Cardinal Newman
- Music: Sir Thomas Boteler
- Science: Bridgewater, Woolston
- Sports: Lymm, William Beamont
- Technology: Lysander
- Vocational: Birchwood