2) Explain the characteristics of the different types of schools in relation to educational stage(s) and school governance

There are different types of schools in relation to education stages and they may be governed differently.

The different types of schools in relation to educational stages are:
Nursery Schools: For 3-4 year olds. They are independent from any primary school and have their own staff and head teacher.
Nursery Classes: For 3-4 year olds. Are linked to a primary school and share the same staff and head teacher.
Primary Schools: For 4-11 year olds. They follow key stage 1 and 2 of the national curriculum.
Secondary Schools: For 11-16/18 year olds. They follow key stage 3 and 4 of the national curriculum.
Sixth Form Colleges: For 16-19 year olds wishing to study A-Levels, BTEC’s etc.
Schools are either state or privately run. State schools all follow the national curriculum and are inspected by Ofsted.

There are four types of state/maintained schools that are governed in varying ways, as follows:
Community Schools: They are run by the Local Authority who employ the staff and own the building(s) and land.
Foundation and Trust Schools: Foundation schools are run by a governing body that employ the staff and own the building/land. The Trusts are governed similarly, but are run jointly with an outside body.
Voluntary Aided: They are religious/faith schools. They are run by a governing body, employ their own staff, but the building/land is owned by a charity.
Voluntary Controlled: The Local Authority employs the staff, similar to a community school, but the land and buildings are owned by a charity.
Independent/private schools, such as grammar schools, are owned and funded privately and managed by the trustees/school governors.

Academies are run by the charity who owns it, in partnership with the Local Authority and the Department for Children, Schools and Families. They are independent schools, but funded by the state.

Special schools are for pupils with special educational needs and are either run by a Local Authority or independently owned.