Education to age 16

Question 1

Academies

Answer 1

• Publicly funded state schools, independent of local & central gov
• Receive their funds directly from central gov through the ‘Education Funding Agency’
• Principal sets out day to day running of the school
• Overseen by academy trusts
• Control their own admissions process & have more freedom to innovate

Question 2

Free Schools

Answer 2

• State-funded primary or secondary schools with more freedom
• Local demand is dealt with by parents, teachers, charities, unis, trusts or voluntary groups
• More than 400 free schools open or approved
• Children 5-16 years entitled to free place at state schools
• Education after 16 is optional and your choice
• Uni costs £9250 a year

Question 3

Types of state funded schools

Answer 3

• Semi-independent foundation schools & trust schools
• Ran by LEAs & their children services
• Self-governing (academies & free schools)
• Semi-independent, state-subsidised faith schools

Question 4

School Governors

Answer 4

• Provides strategic leadership & Accountability
• Appoints headteacher & deputy, appraises head teacher
• Responsible for school finance

Question 5

4 groups of school governors

Answer 5

1. parent governors
2. local authority governors
3. teacher & staff governors
4. community groups

Question 6

What is Ofsted

Answer 6

1. Carries out inspection
2. Gives school an overall rating (Needs improvement, good, excellent)
3. Shows the parents the quality of the school
4. Happens every 4-6 years

Question 7

Ofsted’s powers

Answer 7

• School performance ‘league tables’
• Data is downloaded from their site
• Carry out no notice inspection
• Issues ratings of Outstanding, good or requires improvement

Question 8

Local Education Authorities (LEAs)

Answer 8

• Main role is coordination
  = to ensure children have a school place
  = proposes new schools & replaces old ones
  = decides catchment areas
• ‘Every child matters’ agenda (Children act 2004)
• Provides free transport/free school meals
• Secures provisions of sufficient funds
• Determines admission policies
• Determines school holidays
• Determines who has special educational needs
• Ensures schools meet statutory requirements
• Oversees operation of community & voluntary schools

Question 9

LEA ran schools

Answer 9

• Publicly funded
• Follow national curriculum
• Pay is set by education authority & negotiation with unions
• School holidays set by LEAs

Question 10

Secretary of State for education responsibilities

Answer 10

• Intervene in ‘failing schools’
• Intervention in ‘default’
• Manage availability of school places
• Tackle in inequalities of education opportunity

Question 11

Departments of Education (DfE)

Answer 11

Responsible for education & children services in England

These agencies are in control if how the system operates & what’s expected in education

• negotiates funding for education with the treasury /7 chancellor of the exchequer
• determines national policy
• controls local authorities
• issues regulation

Question 12

DfE works with:

Answer 12

• Ofsted
• Education Funding Agency
• Ofqual
• National college for teaching & leadership
• Standards & testing agency

Question 13

Phases

Answer 13

Compulsory:

• pre-school
• primary 4-11
• secondary 11-16

Optional:

• further 16-18
• higher 18+ University

Question 14

Issues

Answer 14

• Funding & costs
• Self determination (academies, grammars)
• Parental Choice
• Testing of younger pupils
• School place allocation
• Row over spot inspections
• Nursery schools: Battle over policy & tax breaks for parents