How can this kind of school be called?

[Nessie]

Hi everybody,

I want to ask if any of you know how to call this kind of school: In my country, some high schools are special schools. (It's hard to describe :roll: ) There are often 1, 2 or 3 schools of this kind in each province or city (depending on if the city is big or small)
When pupils finish their 9th grade, they'll take a graduate exam and then a classification exam. Those who wish to study in this "special school" will have to take an exam (offered by that school) Usually the exam consists of 3 subjects: maths, literature and the subject the pupils wish to study in advanced curricula. If they can pass the exam, they'll be able to study in that "special school", if not, they'll go to "normal" schools.
That "special school" have many classes, and I don't mean normal classes because each class has a specialized subject, which means students in that class study advanced curricula in only in that subject. For example a student majoring in English study maths with the same curricula as a student majoring in chemistry, but not the same as those who major in maths (because the students majoring in maths study their advanced curricula) Those students majoring in English study their English advanced curricula instead

=> I know this explaination is very complicated but please tell me how it is call if you know. (One more time, it's a high school, not a university)

Many thanks in advance
Nessie :)
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[Jamie (K)]

In the US, we often call this a "magnet school", because it's meant to draw students who are gifted in some field or other from all parts of town.

You could call it an intensive high school, a high school with an intensive curriculum, or a high school for the gifted.

I don't think we have any special name for this school, but "intensive high school" or "specialty high school" would probably get the idea across best to North Americans.

[Nessie]

Oh, I'm not sure about that, Jamie, but may be you are right because there seems to be no special name for this kind of school in other countries (may be it simply doesn't exist :P) (By the way, "magnet school" refers to a school with more extra courses than usual, which is not what I mean. This special high school I'm refering to here is just like any other high schoolS. The only difference is that students in different classes major in different subjects).
Besides, "intensive high shool may not be the exact term either, because it refers to the kind of school in students seem to study more than in other schools (all subjects, while in this kind of school I'm refering to, students in one class only major in one subject.
I've heard that non-native English speakers in my country translate it into "specialized high school". What do you think about this? Which is better: "specialized high school" or "specialty high school"?

And how the about the British? Is there this kind of school in the UK? May I know some British's ideas, please?
Many thanks in advance
Nessie
_________________
:(... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know.. :(

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...

[Jamie (K)]

I don't think we have that kind of high school here. Since US high school students generally choose at least half of their own courses anyway, someone can get a very general education or a very specialized education, as he chooses. It all goes on in the very same school.

I guess "specialized high school" would be as good as anything.

[Nessie]

Thanks a lot, Jamie.
I guess I should be satisfied with this term ;)
_________________
:(... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know.. :(

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...