The scheme aims to improve schools and their communities

The first round of "transformation" investment in the Schools of Ambition scheme covers 20 institutions.

The project is made up of schools criticised by inspectors and others nominated by local authorities.

They will get �100,000 annually over a number of years, with possible support from individual philanthropic funding.

The executive said each school chosen from 43 applications had committed to "radical programmes of development".

SCHOOLS OF AMBITION Anderson High School, Shetland Arbroath Academy, Angus Barrhead High School, East Renfrewshire Blairgowrie High School, Perth and Kinross Braes High School, Falkirk Braeview Academy, Dundee Burnhouse School, West Lothian Cardinal Newman High School, North Lanarkshire Castlemilk/St Margaret Mary's Secondary, Glasgow Doon Academy Learning Partnership, East Ayrshire Hawick High School, Scottish Borders Inverness High School, Highland Islay High School, Argyll and Bute Kirkland High School and Community College, Fife Newbattle Community High School, Midlothian Our Lady's and St Patrick's High School, West Dunbartonshire St Modan's RC High School, Stirling St Ninian's High School, East Dunbartonshire St Paul's High School, Glasgow Wallace Hall Academy, Dumfries and Galloway

Work will now begin on matching the schools with potential philanthropic partners.

First Minister Jack McConnell said: "Our schools need to have high expectations and ambitions for each and every one of our pupils, they need to offer every pupil the opportunity to recognise their talents and achieve their full potential.

"These, the first Schools of Ambition, have been chosen because they have demonstrated the vision and drive to transform themselves, to realise their own potential and to get the best for every child."

Education Minister Peter Peacock added: "We will continue to work with the other bidding schools with a view to bringing them on to the programme later and when their ideas and ambition is more fully developed."

Scottish National Party education spokeswoman Fiona Hyslop welcomed the announcement - but said it would benefit only 5% of the country's schools.

She said the funding was "a drop in the ocean" compared the amount needed to address staff shortages.

New leadership

"The executive should be bringing forward plans to benefit the educational provision of all schools in Scotland, not just the 5% which have been announced today," she said.

Schools identified by HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) as requiring intensive support under new leadership following a poor inspection report were automatically brought into the scheme.

The bidding schools had their plans scrutinised by a panel including Hunter Foundation chief executive Ewan Hunter, Scotland's chief schools inspector Graham Donaldson and council and teacher representatives.

Schools will specialise in areas like sport and music

The schools had to show what steps would be taken to achieve "transformation" and what the changes would mean for pupils and the wider community in the short and long term.

Participating schools must identify at least one area of the curriculum where it will come to be recognised as having particular strength - specialising, for example, in sport, music, the performing arts, languages or vocational studies.

Those on the programme will also be required to share their experience of managing the changes and their successes with other schools.