Types of School
Sociology: AQA GCSE, topic 3.1.3
Types of School
There are different types of schools in England. Children are entitled to free education from the age of 5 until they turn 18.
Types of school
- Depending on the age of the pupil there are different schools available:
- Nursery schools (ages 3 and 4).
- Nursery classes (attached to primary schools).
- Primary schools (ages 4-11).
- Secondary schools (ages 11-16 or 18).
- Sixth-form colleges (ages 16-19).
Types of secondary provision:
- State-funded comprehensive school.
- Independent/private/public school.
- Academy.
- Special school.
- Specialist school.
- Faith school.
- Grammar school.
- Free school.
- Selective school.
State-funded comprehensive schools
- The state-funded comprehensive schools are open to everyone regardless of their gender, class, ethnicity, disability, academic achievements.
- Their aim is to provide the same education to everyone.
Independent/private schools
- The independent/ private schools set their own curriculum and they are selective. In other words, the pupils that are admitted need to match specific criteria.
- Parents are paying fees and the schools are funded by investors and parents sometimes.
Academies
- Academies are usually failed schools taken over by businesses.
- They work in collaboration with local authorities and the government.
- They can use their own timetables, curriculum, teachers’ pay.
Types of School
There are different types of schools in England. Children are entitled to free education from the age of 5 until they turn 18.
Special schools
- Special schools are schools set up to admit pupils who have been given a statement of special educational needs (SEN) after they have been assessed.
- They can be funded by the local authorities and others can be independent.
- These schools have pupils with both learning and physical disabilities.
Specialist schools
- Specialist schools existed until 2010.
- They usually had an emphasis on specific subjects.
- They received extra funding for these subjects but then they got replaced by academies and free schools.
Faith schools
- Faith schools are like state schools with the difference that they focus on a specific religion.
- They might have specific criteria to be admitted and they might have different policies for their members of staff.
Types of School
There are different types of schools in England. Children are entitled to free education from the age of 5 until they turn 18.
Grammar schools
- Grammar schools select their pupils based on academic ability.
- Before they get admitted pupils need to sit the 11 plus exam.
Free schools
- Free schools are set up by charities, teachers, and the community after parents have asked for it.
- They are funded by the government.
- Free schools have greater control over teachers’ pay, curriculum and generally the school’s finances.
Selective schools
- A selective school is a school where students are admitted on the basis of selection criteria, these are usually academic.
Test yourself on Types of School
What are the features of different types of schools?
What are different types of secondary provision?
What type of school has been set up to admit students who have special educational needs?
Which of these school types stopped existing after 2010?