Cyp 3.2 1.1, 1.2, 1.3

TDA 3.2 – Schools as Organisations

1.1 – There are different types of childcare options available for 0-5 year olds, these include:
Sure Start Children’s Centres: Working with parent’s right from the birth of their child, providing early years education for children, full day care, short-term care, health and family support, parenting advice as well as training and employment advice.
Nursery Schools: Provide early learning and childcare for children between three and five years old. They are often linked to a Primary School or based at Sure Start Children’s Centres.
Preschools and playgroups: Usually run by voluntary groups providing part-time play and early learning for the under fives. Three and four year olds can their 15 hours of weekly free early years education at these providers.
Day Nurseries: Often based in workplaces and run by businesses or voluntary groups providing care and learning activities for children from birth to five years old.
Childminders: Look after children under 12 years in their own homes. They can take care of up to six children under eight years old, although no more than three of them must be under five.
Nannies and home-based carers: Provide care for children in your own homes and can look after children of any age.
Since 2004, all children in the UK aged three and four years old have been entitled to free places at nursery or other pre-school setting (including childminders). From 1st September 2010, the Government extended these hours from 12.5 to 15 hours for up to 38 weeks of the year. The free entitlement provides universal access to early childhood education and care, ensuring all children have the opportunity to benefit from early years education. The extended hours also support parents wishing to return to work or develop their careers through further education by providing affordable day care.

1.2 There are many different types of schools in the education sector; state schools as well as independent schools.
Community Schools: A category of state funded which are ran solely by the LEA, staff are employed by the LEA and the land and buildings of the school are also owned by the LEA. However, the schools governing body are responsible for the running of the school. The LEA decides which “admissions criteria” to use of the school has more applications than available places. These criteria could include some of the following: If you live in the same area as the schools, if the child has any siblings at the school, if the child has a disability which might make travelling to a remote school more difficult.
The LEA also provides support services, e.g, psychological and Special Educational Needs services. Pupils who attend a community school must follow the National Curriculum. Community schools also help to develop strong links with the community by offering use of their facilities and providing other services such as childcare and adult learning programmes.
Voluntary schools: There are two types of voluntary schools: controlled and aided.
Voluntary controlled schools can also be known as religious or faith schools. In a VC school, the land and buildings are owned by a charity which is more often than not a religious organisation, such as a church. The LEA employs the staff and also provides support services for the school. The charity appoints some of the members of the governing body, although the LEA is responsible for running the school.
Voluntary aided schools: the land and buildings are usually owned by a charity, such as a church, but, the governing body is responsible for running the school and also must contribute to building and maintenance costs. VA schools are partly funded by the LEA, partly by the charity and partly by the governing body, who will also employ it’s own staff. Pupils who attend VA schools have to follow the National Curriculum and support services are provided by the LEA if needed.
Trust Schools: These are state funded foundation schools which receive extra support from a charitable trust, that is made up of partners e.g. business or educational charities who work together for the benefit of the school. Any maintained school that is a primary, secondary or special school can become a trust school and will remain local authority maintained. Having a trust status will enable schools to raise standards through strengthening new and existing long term partnerships between schools and external partners, as well as broaden opportunities for pupils and support a child’s all round development.
Specialist schools: Children who have a statement of Special Educational Needs can and usually are, educated in mainstream schools if the school has provisions that are suitable for that child. However children with SEN can also be educated in specialist schools. Special schools usually take children with particular types of special needs. The majority of a schools funding is provided by the department for education and skills (DFES) through the local education authority. However, not all schools for pupils with SEN are maintained by the LEA and are funded by fees that are paid by the parents or charitable trust funds.
Independent/private schools: These schools are not maintained the LEA and are independent in their finances and governance. Independent schools are funded by a combination of tuition fees that are paid by parents and income from investments. Only half of independent schools are of “charitable status”. All donations that are made to public schools that are supported by the LEA allows them to claim charitable deductions. Independent schools do not have to follow the National Curriculum and the admissions policy is determined and administered by the head teacher along with the governing body. All independent schools have to register with the Department For Education under the Education Act 2002 and applications of new schools must be made before a school begins to function and admit pupils. Regulations made by the Education Act 2002 sets out standards that all independent schools in England must satisfy as a condition of registration.
Free schools: Free schools are an all ability, non profit making, state funded school that are set up in response to what local people say they want and need in order to improve education for children in their area. Free schools can be set up by a varied range of proposers i.e. universities, businesses, educational groups and parents who would like to make a difference to a child’s education. These schools are being set up in response to a demand in local areas where there are not enough places in mainstream schools. Free schools have to meet rigorous standards and are subject to the same Ofsted inspections as all state schools.

1.3 Currently, the options for post 16’s are: full time education such as school, college or home education, part-time education or training if they are employed, self-employed or volunteering full-time (which is defined as 20 hours or more a week), an apprenticeship or to go in to employment. However, the Government is increasing the age to which all young people in England must continue in education or training, requiring them to continue until the end of the academic year in which they turn 17 from 2013 and until their 18th birthday from 2015.