After successfully isolating qualities that schools can embody to both educate students and develop teachers, the initiative went beyond the pilot stage and expanded further when 125 more schools joined in September 1999. The number of Beacon Schools in operation more than doubled in September 2000 when 300 more schools took on Beacon status. But, the largest expansion was in September 2001 when a further 425 schools became part of the initiative. The number of Beacon Schools reached a peak of around 1150 by September 2002, and this level of involvement was maintained into 2003.