Education and Skills Secretary Estelle Morris visited Blatchington Mill School in Hove to see how it is benefiting from its status as a College of Performing Arts.
Ms Morris met teachers and students to find out how they were coping since the school was awarded its specialist status last year.
The school raised £100,000 for new facilities including a theatre and recording studios and the money was matched by the Government.
Business manager David Lindfield said: "We were the first school in the South East to specialise in performing arts and were very pleased to welcome Ms Morris to show her how we are coping."
Ms Morris is visiting schools throughout the country as the Government prepares to publish a White Paper on the future of education, with specialist schools set to be a key area for expansion.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article