Maintained

Under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 there are three categories of school:

• Community

• Foundation

• Voluntary (divided into Controlled and Aided)

They replaced the previous categories of mainstream state school: county, voluntary controlled, special agreement, voluntary aided and grant-maintained (GM). Statutory proposals have to be published to open, close, and significantly change such schools. The proposals have to be approved under local decision-making arrangements by the LEA, school organisation committee or schools adjudicator.

Schools in all three categories have a lot in common. They work in partnership with other schools and the LEAs, and they receive funding from LEAs and they have to deliver the national curriculum. But each category has its own characteristics.

For more information on each of the types of schools click here