State Education

The majority of pupils attend English state schools or colleges which provide free education until your child is 16 years of age, the state schools work in conjunction with the Local Education Authority within whose catchment area they reside.

In essence these contain four categories which whilst having many similarities in that they:

• Work with other schools and the local authorities
• Receive funding from local education authorities
• They deliver the national curriculum

Community Schools

These schools are bedded in the community and are run by the Local Authority which also employs the staff, owns the land and the buildings and has control of the pupil admissions.

Foundation Schools

Foundation Schools operate a governing body and the schools buildings and land are either owned by the governing body or a charitable foundation. The body is also responsible for employing the staff and has the main responsibility for pupil admission arrangements.

Voluntary Aided

Many of these are church schools linked to the Church of England or the Roman Catholic Church, but this can vary. They also employ a governing body who contribute to the capital costs of running the school whilst also employing the staff and controlling the pupil admission policy. Typically the school's buildings and land is owned by a charitable foundation.

Voluntary Controlled

These are almost always church schools which whilst the land and buildings are often owned by a charitable foundation, pupil admissions and staff employment is controlled by the local education authority.

The above covers the majority of the state educational establishments within England however, there are a further range of options available, please visit the Directgov website for further information.

Independent Schools

An independent school is one that is usually funded by fee-paying students and is not maintained by the Local Authority or central government; visit the Independent Schools Council website for further information.

International Schools

There are a wide variety of international schools throughout England however these are all fee paying visit the ISBI website for further information.