Unit 302 1.2

Explain the Characteristics of Different Types of School (302) 1.2
Community School
A community school is both a place and a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources. Its integrated focus on academics, health and social services, youth and community development and community engagement leads to improved student learning. Community schools offer a personalized curriculum that emphasizes real-world learning and community problem-solving. Schools become centers of the community and are open to everyone – all day, every day, evenings and weekends.
Foundation & Trust Schools
Foundation schools are run by an elected governing body, which has a lot of authority over picking and choosing what happens inside the school itself. The governing body not only employs the staff and sets the criteria for admission, but it can also own the land the school is on as well as its buildings, although often it is owned by a charity (or charitable foundation).
Trust schools are a type of Foundation school that has decided to develop a partnership, known as a charitable trust, with an outside body.
Often that body is either an educational charity or a business. Trust schools see the main benefit coming from its relationship with its partner, which it sees as helping to raise school standards and maximise benefits for all.
Although Trust schools are still funded by the state, they can set their own admissions policy, manage staff independently and manage its own assets. That said, the land and buildings used by the school will be owned by either the governing body, or the charitable trust.
Voluntary Schools
A Voluntary School (VA school) is a state-funded school in England and Wales, in which a foundation or trust (usually a religious organisation), contributes to building costs and has a substantial influence in the running of the school.
Voluntary Controlled schools are a kind of "maintained school", meaning that they are funded by central government via the Local Authority, and do not charge fees to students. The majority are also faith schools.
Specialist Schools
Specialist Schools are state secondary schools that aim to be local centres of excellence in their chosen specialism, and which to that end, benefitted from public funding under the "Specialist Schools Programme" and from private sector sponsorship. Special schools can meet the needs of children with statements for learning, emotional and behavioural difficulties and/or physical disabilities. Specialist schools can also be for arts, drama, or music.
Independent Schools
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, donations, and in some cases the investment yield of an endowment. It is governed by a board of directors that is elected by an independent means and a system of governance that ensures its independent operation. It may receive government funds. However, its board must be independent.
Academies
Academies are publicly funded independent schools.
Academies don’t have to follow the national curriculum and can set their own term times. They still have to follow the same rules on admissions, special educational needs and exclusion as other state schools.
Academies get money direct from the government, not the local council. They’re run by an academy trust which employs the staff.