The Specialist Science Schools report, by professor Alan Smithers and Dr Pamela Robinson at the University of Buckingham, found that high performing schools were more likely to be awarded specialist school status than their lower performing counterparts.
Specialist schools appear to do better than other schools in exam league tables, but this is because poor performing schools are not eligible for specialist school status, the report said.
The report found non-selective schools with academic specialisms, such as maths or science, tend to have bigger intakes of high-achieving pupils than non-specialist schools.
These schools also had fewer pupils eligible for free school meals or with special educational needs.
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