Types Of School

All children in England are entitled to a free place at school from the age of 4 until they are 16 although the law was changed in 2008. The new law states that young people, until the age of 18 if they were born on or after 1st September 1997, must stay in either:
Full time education
Training schemes such as apprenticeships
Part time education or training as well as part time work whether that be paid or voluntary
There are many different types of schools across England. Each with different working practises and different funding methods.
Children are able to enter infant schools from the age of 4 until they are 7. They then move onto the junior section which from 7 until 11. From junior school they progress to secondary school at the age of 11 until the age of 16-18 depending on their birth year.

Pre-school Same Sex School
Grammar School Boarding School Forest school Boarding School Steiner School Types of School
Faith School Academies

Language school Comprehensive Behavioural Units Art/Dance School Private School

A local education authority maintained school is one that is funded by the local education authority where pupils have to follow the national curriculum and will be one of the following:
Foundation school
Community school
Voluntary controlled school
Voluntary aided school
Nursery school. Early education for eligible three and four year olds may be offered in nursery schools, nursery classes or in reception classes in primary schools. All these are examples of LEA maintained schools.
Special school. Some special schools are local education authority maintained schools. These could be community, voluntary or foundation special schools. Pupils at a maintained special school usually have been assessed and given a statement of special educational needs (SEN). Some special schools are independent schools.

Community schools
Community schools are funded by the local education authority who also employ the staff. Pupils have to follow the national curriculum and the admissions policy is usually set out and delivered by the LEA. The governing body is responsible for the day to day running of the school but the LEA owns the school site. The local education authority is expected to provide support services to community schools such as educational needs services and psychological services.
Voluntary schools
There are two types of voluntary schools:-
Controlled
Aided
Voluntary controlled schools
A voluntary controlled school can also be called a religious or faith school. The local authority fund these schools, employ the staff and provide the support services. The land and buildings are owned by a charity, often a religious organisation such as a church. The charity have the authority to appoint some members of the governing body but the LEA is responsible for the running of the school. The admissions policy is set out and administered by the LEA.
Voluntary aided schools
Voluntary aided schools are usually called religious schools or faith schools. In a voluntary aided school the land and buildings are owned by a charity, as with voluntary controlled schools, but the governing body is responsible for running the school. The governing body employs the staff as well as determining the admissions policy in consultation with the LEA. The LEA provides the support services for these schools.
Foundation schools
In foundation schools the land and buildings are owned by a governing body, who are also responsible for running the school. The local education authority funds the school and the governing body employs the staff as well as providing most of the support services for the school. The admissions policy is determined by the governing body, in consultation with the LEA.

There are various sorts of schools that are not maintained by the local education authority. Most of these schools do not have to follow the national curriculum. These include:
Independent schools
City technology colleges
Academies
Special schools not maintained by the local education authority
Early learning organisations.

Independent schools
In an independent school the governing body is responsible for the day to day running of the school who also determine the admissions policy with the head teacher. They are funded by fees paid by parents and sometimes by charitable trust funds. The head teacher with the backing of the governing body employs the staff and either the head teacher or the governing body manage and be responsible for the running of support services.
City technology colleges
City technology colleges are independent non-fee paying schools and are situated in urban areas. Pupils follow a curriculum that is similar to the national one with the addition of an emphasis on technological and practical skills. The department for children, schools and families (DCSF) along with commercial sponsors fund the college and share the responsibility of the running of the school with the company that owns it. The governing body employs the staff as well as buy in and manage support services. The admissions policy is determined and administered by the governing body.
Academies
Academies are independently-managed, all-ability schools which operate outside the control of the local authority. In a city academy the government funds the school's running costs and employs the staff.
Special schools not maintained by the local education authority
Some schools for pupils with special educational needs are not maintained by the local education authority. In some cases the local education authority may pay the fees so that a pupil with special educational needs may attend one of these schools if this school best meets their needs.
Early learning organisations
Early learning for eligible three and four year olds may be offered in independent playgroups, private day nurseries or independent schools. A part time place will be free, but a parent will usually have to pay fees if a child is attending on a full time basis.