Specialist schools have criticised a Government report which claimed they were failing to benefit their local communities.

The Chief Inspector of Schools said most specialist schools - which receive extra cash to focus on a particular subject - "have had difficulty in fulfilling their new role as a resource for the community".

And, despite academic performance improving, he said they were not doing enough to share the benefits of their specialist status with neighbouring schools. But today staff at two of Bradford's specialist schools said the report did not reflect reality.

Hanson School, in Eccleshill, was one of the first in the country to benefit from specialist school status when it opened its technology faculty in 1994. It was one of 46 visited by the inspectors - and the only one in the Bradford district.

In line with other specialist schools, it received a one-off capital grant of £100,000 and gets additional annual funding per pupil every year. In return for the additional funding, the Government requires the schools to "become a resource for other schools and their local communities".

But chief inspector Mike Tomlinson concluded: "Too many schools had not yet forged partnerships with their communities nor did they fully understand how they could provide learning opportunities for specific groups."

Today Sarah Galloway, acting head of Hanson's technology faculty, said the criticism was "totally untrue" of her school. She said the school ran taster courses in technology for primary school children, advised and lent equipment to other high schools, and ran after-school classes for the local community.

"When we got the status we got a lot of specialist equipment that has helped to improve our pupils' results," she said. "We have very good links with local schools, and they are able to borrow our equipment."

Staff at Prince Henry's Grammar School, Otley, which became the first specialist language college in the district when it attained specialist status in 1997, also criticised the report. Chris Lillington, director of the language college, said the school sent its staff into primary schools to teach languages as well as sharing resources and ideas with other high schools in Wharfedale and the Aire Valley.

Mr Lillington said: "We are very proud of our community role."