TYPES OF

SCHOOLS
In the United Kingdom
1. Comprehensive schools
Comprehensive schools are secondary schools that receive funding either from local
authorities or directly from the government. These schools aren’t influenced by any religious
groups or businesses and follow the national curriculum.

However, they can also be part of a self-governing academy trust who manages the school.
Unlike selective schools, comprehensive schools don’t restrict their intake of students based on
their academic performance.
2. Grammar schools
Grammar schools are state-funded, academically selective senior schools. The education a child
receives at grammar school is paid for by the state unlike at private schools which provide education
for a fee.

Almost half of all grammar schools are in what are considered 'selective authorities', where around
one in five local children are selected for entry based on their performance in the 11+ entrance
assessment.
Grammar schools focus on academic excellence and offer a more traditional style of education.
3. Secondary modern schools
Secondary modern schools were a type of secondary school in the UK that existed primarily
from the 1940s to the 1970s. Secondary modern schools were non-selective and provided a
general secondary education for students who did not pass the 11+ examination, which
determined entry into grammar schools.

The curriculum in secondary modern schools was typically focused on practical and vocational
subjects rather than academic subjects.
4. Specialist schools
Specialist schools are a type of secondary school in the UK that focus on a specific subject
or area of expertise.

These schools have been introduced as part of educational reforms in the UK. Specialist
schools are state-funded and follow the National Curriculum, but they have additional
emphasis and resources in their specialist area.
Some common specialist areas include technology, arts, sciences, languages, sports, and
business. St Malachy's College in
Belfast was one of the
first Northern Irish
specialist Music Colleges.

St Mary's Music School

They are designed to support students with a wide range of special educational needs and
disabilities. This can include physical disabilities, sensory impairments, learning disabilities,
autism spectrum disorders, emotional or behavioral difficulties, and communication disorders,
among others.
6. City Technology College (CTC)
CTC were an urban all-ability specialist school for students aged 11 to 18 specializing in
science, technology and mathematics.
They charged no fees and are independent of local authority control, being overseen directly
by the Department for Education.
City Technology College aimed to bridge the gap between academic education and vocational
skills, preparing students for careers in technical fields.

Over time, some CTCs converted into academies, which are independent state-funded schools
with more autonomy.

As academies, they continued to provide a technical and scientific focus while benefiting
from increased flexibility in curriculum design and governance.
7. Community school
Community school is a type of state school, which means it is either funded by the local
authority or directly funded by the UK government.

Community schools are generally funded by the local authority and always follow the national
curriculum.

They are not obligated to be influenced by business or religious groups. These are the most
common type of state school in the UK.
8. Foundation schools
Foundation schools are a type of state school that are governed by their own individual
governing body or a charitable foundation.

They have more control over decisions related to staffing, finance, and the school's policies.

They can set their own admissions criteria and may give priority to certain groups, such as
children from the local area or those with specific educational needs.

Raine's
Foundation
School, London
9. Voluntary schools
Voluntary schools are a type of state-funded school that has a religious character or affiliation.
There are two main types of voluntary schools: voluntary-aided schools and voluntary-controlled
schools.

Voluntary-aided schools have their own governing body, which includes representatives from the
religious organization. Voluntary-aided schools can have their own admissions criteria, which may
give priority to children of a particular faith or those who actively practice the religion associated
with the school.

Voluntary-controlled schools are also associated with a religious organization, but the governing
body is typically made up of a majority of community representatives rather than representatives
from the religious organization. Voluntary-controlled schools follow the local authority's
admissions criteria, similar to community schools. They do not prioritize children of a particular
faith, and admission is generally open to all students.
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