Different Types of Schools in the UK

Question 1

What are State Schools?

Answer 1

Schools funded by the government

Question 2

Name the 9 types of State School in the UK.

Answer 2

• Community/maintained schools
• Foundation/voluntary schools
• City technology colleges
• Grammar schools
• Academy schools
• Free schools
• Faith schools
• Single-sex schools
• State boarding schools

Question 3

What is a community/maintained school?

Answer 3

• funded by local authority.
• not influences by business/religious groups and follow national curriculum.

Question 4

What is a foundation/voluntary school?

Answer 4

• funded by local authority.
• have more freedom to change the way they do things - sometimes supported by reps from religious groups.

Question 5

What are city technology colleges?

Answer 5

• all-ability secondary schools based in urban centres.
• geared towards science, maths, technology and preparing students for work.
• 15 CTCs created, all but 3 became academies.

Question 6

What are grammar schools?

Answer 6

• state secondary schools that are free to attend but select pupils by means of exams at age 11 (11 plus).

Question 7

What are academy schools?

Answer 7

• state-funded schools directly funded by Department of Education but independent of local authority control.
• self-governing, non-profit charitable trust.
• don’t have to follow National Curriculum but do have to ensure that their curriculum is broad and balanced and that it includes core subjects.

Question 8

What are free schools?

Answer 8

• funded by the government but not run by local authority.
• have more control over how they do things.
• all-ability schools (can’t use academic selection processes).
• run on a not-for-profit basis.
• can be set up by charities, unis, faith groups, teachers etc.

Question 9

What are faith schools?

Answer 9

• have to follow National Curriculum but can choose what they teach in religious studies.
• may have different admissions criteria and staffing policies but anyone can apply.

Question 10

What are single-sex schools?

Answer 10

• schools based on gender - 100% male or 100% female.
• many become co-ed at 6th form level.

Question 11

What are state boarding schools?

Answer 11

• pay for boarding and education is free.
• government pays for education.
• around 40 state boarding schools.

Question 12

What are private schools?

Answer 12

Fee paying schools

Question 13

Name the three types of private school.

Answer 13

• Private/independent schools
• Public schools
• International Schools

Question 14

What are private/independent schools?

Answer 14

• where students pay fees to attend.
• can be day or boarding schools but are independent of regulations/conditions that apply to state funded schools.
• may choose to follow some regulations e.g. curriculum or type of exams they choose to do.

Question 15

What are public schools?

Answer 15

• long established, fee paying but require an entrance exam.
• E.g. Eton and Cheltenham Ladies College.

Question 16

What are international schools?

Answer 16

• cater to the international community.
• follow an international curriculum such as International Baccalaureate, International Primary Curriculum and iGCSEs.

Question 17

What is alternative provision?

Answer 17

Schools for those unable to attend mainstream education.

Question 18

Name the three types of alternative provision.

Answer 18

• Pupil Referral Units.
• Special Education Schools.
• Home Schooling.

Question 19

What are Pupil Referral Units?

Answer 19

• type of school that caters for children who can’t attend mainstream school.
• often referred there if they need greater care/support.

Question 20

Why might a child be referred to a PRU?

Answer 20

• permanently excluded for behaviour reasons.
• experiencing emotional/behavioural difficulties.
• experiencing severe bullying.
• pregnant or young mothers.

Question 21

What are special education schools?

Answer 21

• school catering for students with special educational needs due to learning difficulties, physical disabilities or behavioural problems.
• may be specifically designed, staffed and resourced.

Question 22

What is home schooling?

Answer 22

• learning outside of the public/private school environment.
• for most families, the schooling is learning from rich resources available in the community and interactions with other families who homeschool.