Voluntary aided school
Encyclopedia
A voluntary aided school is a state-funded school in England and Wales
in which a foundation
or trust
(usually a religious organisation) owns the school buildings, contributes to building costs and has a substantial influence in the running of the school. Such schools have more autonomy than voluntary controlled school
s, which are entirely funded by the state.
s providing basic education for the poor to endowed schools (often grammar school
s) providing secondary or all-age education.
Early in that century, the British and Foreign School Society
and the National Society for Promoting Religious Education
sought to provide elementary schooling for poor children, setting up non-denominational British schools and Church of England
national school
s respectively.
From 1833, the state began to provide grants to support these elementary schools and the less wealthy endowed schools.
They were joined by the Catholic Poor School Committee, which established Roman Catholic elementary schools and received its first state grant in 1847.
Secondary education also expanded at the same time, including a series of Roman Catholic secondary schools established by religious orders.
The state began to provide elementary education in 1870 and secondary education in 1902, but also continued to increase funding to the schools run by private organisations, now known as voluntary schools.
In return these schools were increasingly influenced by the state, and were subject to jointly administered inspections.
In 1926, voluntary secondary schools were required to choose between being "grant-aided" by the Local Authority, or receiving a "direct grant" from central government.
Under the Education Act 1944
, most of the direct grant schools became direct grant grammar school
s.
The Act also imposed higher standards on school facilities, and offered the remaining voluntary schools a choice in funding the costs this would incur:
The Catholic Church chose to retain control of its schools, while more than half of Church of England schools became voluntary controlled.
The state contribution to capital works for VA schools was increased to 75% by the Education Act 1959, and is now 90%.
By the 1970s, most local authorities were in the final stages of reorganising secondary education along comprehensive
lines.
Although the Roman Catholic hierarchy supported this change, many non-Catholic voluntary aided grammar school
s opposed it.
Local authorities could not compel voluntary aided schools to change any aspect of their admissions, but they could submit a proposal to the Minister to cease to maintain a school.
This was done in cases where the local authority and school could not agree.
Some of these schools became independent school
s:
Direct grant status was abolished at the same time and over 40 such schools, almost all Roman Catholic, converted to voluntary aided status.
Many voluntary aided schools converted to grant-maintained
status in the late 1980s, generally reverting to voluntary aided status when GM status was abolished in 1998.
A few formerly independent faith schools that had become grant-maintained in the early 1990s also converted to voluntary aided status at that time.
In contrast to other types of maintained school, only 90% of the capital costs of a voluntary aided school are met by government.
The foundation contributes the rest of the capital costs, owns the school's land and buildings and appoints a majority of the school governors.
The governing body runs the school, employs the staff and decides the school's admission arrangements, subject to rules imposed by central government.
Pupils follow the National Curriculum, except that faith school
s may teach Religious Education
according to their own faith.
Within the maintained sector in England, approximately 22% of primary schools and 17% of secondary schools are voluntary aided, including all of the Roman Catholic schools and the schools of non-Christian faiths.
Almost all voluntary aided primary schools and 93% of voluntary aided secondary schools are linked to a religious body, usually either the Church of England or the Catholic Church, with a minority of other faiths.
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
in which a foundation
Foundation (charity)
A foundation is a legal categorization of nonprofit organizations that will typically either donate funds and support to other organizations, or provide the source of funding for its own charitable purposes....
or trust
Charitable trust
A charitable trust is an irrevocable trust established for charitable purposes, and is a more specific term than "charitable organization".-United States:...
(usually a religious organisation) owns the school buildings, contributes to building costs and has a substantial influence in the running of the school. Such schools have more autonomy than voluntary controlled school
Voluntary controlled school
A voluntary controlled school is a state-funded school in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in which a foundation or trust has some formal influence in the running of the school...
s, which are entirely funded by the state.
History
Prior to the 19th century, there were a variety of schools in England and Wales, from charity schoolCharity school
A charity school, also called Blue Coat School, was significant in the History of education in England. They were erected and maintained in various parishes, by the voluntary contributions of the inhabitants, for teaching poor children to read, write, and other necessary parts of education...
s providing basic education for the poor to endowed schools (often grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
s) providing secondary or all-age education.
Early in that century, the British and Foreign School Society
British and Foreign School Society
The British and Foreign School Society offers charitable aid to educational projects in the UK and around the world by funding schools, other charities and educational bodies...
and the National Society for Promoting Religious Education
National Society for Promoting Religious Education
The National Society for Promoting Religious Education, often just referred to as the National Society, is a Church of England body in England and Wales for the promotion of church schools and Christian education....
sought to provide elementary schooling for poor children, setting up non-denominational British schools and Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
national school
National school (England and Wales)
A national school was a school founded in 19th century England and Wales by the National Society for Promoting Religious Education.These schools provided elementary education, in accordance with the teaching of the Church of England, to the children of the poor.Together with the less numerous...
s respectively.
From 1833, the state began to provide grants to support these elementary schools and the less wealthy endowed schools.
They were joined by the Catholic Poor School Committee, which established Roman Catholic elementary schools and received its first state grant in 1847.
Secondary education also expanded at the same time, including a series of Roman Catholic secondary schools established by religious orders.
The state began to provide elementary education in 1870 and secondary education in 1902, but also continued to increase funding to the schools run by private organisations, now known as voluntary schools.
In return these schools were increasingly influenced by the state, and were subject to jointly administered inspections.
In 1926, voluntary secondary schools were required to choose between being "grant-aided" by the Local Authority, or receiving a "direct grant" from central government.
Under the Education Act 1944
Education Act 1944
The Education Act 1944 changed the education system for secondary schools in England and Wales. This Act, commonly named after the Conservative politician R.A...
, most of the direct grant schools became direct grant grammar school
Direct grant grammar school
A direct grant grammar school was a selective secondary school in England and Wales between 1945 and 1976 funded partly by the state and partly through private fees....
s.
The Act also imposed higher standards on school facilities, and offered the remaining voluntary schools a choice in funding the costs this would incur:
- Voluntary controlled schoolVoluntary controlled schoolA voluntary controlled school is a state-funded school in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in which a foundation or trust has some formal influence in the running of the school...
s would have all their costs met by the state, but would be controlled by the Local Education AuthorityLocal Education AuthorityA local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
. - Voluntary aided schools would be only partly funded by the state, with the foundation responsible for 50% of capital works but having greater influence over the school.
The Catholic Church chose to retain control of its schools, while more than half of Church of England schools became voluntary controlled.
The state contribution to capital works for VA schools was increased to 75% by the Education Act 1959, and is now 90%.
By the 1970s, most local authorities were in the final stages of reorganising secondary education along comprehensive
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
lines.
Although the Roman Catholic hierarchy supported this change, many non-Catholic voluntary aided grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
s opposed it.
Local authorities could not compel voluntary aided schools to change any aspect of their admissions, but they could submit a proposal to the Minister to cease to maintain a school.
This was done in cases where the local authority and school could not agree.
Some of these schools became independent school
Independent school (UK)
An independent school is a school that is not financed through the taxation system by local or national government and is instead funded by private sources, predominantly in the form of tuition charges, gifts and long-term charitable endowments, and so is not subject to the conditions imposed by...
s:
| Year | LEA Local Education Authority A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction... |
Name of school | Gender |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Richmond | Hampton School Hampton School Hampton School is an independent boys' day school in Hampton, London, England.-History:In 1556, Robert Hammond, a wealthy brewer who had acquired property in Hampton, left in his will provision for the maintenance of a 'free scole' and to build a small schoolhouse 'with seates in yt' in the... |
Boys |
| 1976 | Surrey | Reigate Grammar School Reigate Grammar School Reigate Grammar School is an independent co-educational day school located in the town of Reigate, Surrey, United Kingdom. Intake is from 11 to 18, with the majority of its pupils entering at the age of 11, and others entering at 13 and 16.- History :... |
Mixed |
| 1977 | Inner London | Emanuel School Emanuel School Emanuel School is a co-educational independent school in Battersea, south-west London. The school was founded by Lady Dacre and Elizabeth I in 1594. Today it has some 710 pupils, aged between ten and eighteen.-History:... |
Boys (now mixed) |
| 1977 | Surrey | Royal Grammar School, Guildford Royal Grammar School, Guildford The Royal Grammar School is a selective English independent day school for boys in Guildford, Surrey. The school dates its founding to the death of Robert Beckingham in 1509 who left provision in his will to 'make a free scole at the Towne of Guldford'; in 1512 a governing body was set up to form... |
Boys |
| 1977 | Inner London | Godolphin and Latymer School Godolphin and Latymer School The Godolphin and Latymer School is an independent school for 700 girls aged eleven to eighteen in London. Ms Margaret Rudland was the head mistress of the school for over 20 years before being succeeded by Ms Ruth Mercer.-History:... |
Girls |
| 1977 | Inner London | Colfe's Grammar School | Mixed |
| 1978 | Kirklees | Batley Grammar School Batley Grammar School Batley Grammar School is a co-educational school located at Carlinghow Hill in Upper Batley, West Yorkshire, England. The school was founded in 1612 by the Rev. William Lee... |
Boys (now mixed) |
| 1978 | Surrey | Sir William Perkins's School Sir William Perkins's School HeadmistressMrs Del CookeChairman of GovernorsDr Alun JonesFounded1725School typeIndependent schoolReligious affiliationSecularSpecialismNoneForms4 LocationChertsey, EnglandEnrollment575... |
Girls |
| 1979 | Wolverhampton | Wolverhampton Grammar School Wolverhampton Grammar School Wolverhampton Grammar School is a co-educational independent school located in the city of Wolverhampton.Initially Wolverhampton Boys Grammar School, it was founded in 1512 by Sir Stephen Jenyns, a master of the ancient guild of Merchant Taylors, who was also Lord Mayor of London in the year of... |
Boys (now mixed) |
| 1979 | Lancashire | Kirkham Grammar School Kirkham Grammar School Kirkham Grammar School is a co-educational independent school in Kirkham, Lancashire, England . It was founded in 1549. Its roots can be traced back to the chantry school attached to St Michael's Church in the 13th century. The school remained in the church grounds until it moved to occupy... |
Mixed |
| 1979 | Hampshire | King Edward VI Grammar School, Southampton | Boys (now mixed) |
| 1979 | Hampshire | Churcher's College Churcher's College Churcher's College is an English co-educational independent, fee-paying school which is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference . The senior school is located in the market town of Petersfield, Hampshire with the junior school in nearby Liphook... |
Boys (now mixed) |
| 1983 | Cambridgeshire | Wisbech Grammar School Wisbech Grammar School Wisbech Grammar School is a co-educational independent school in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire for students ages 11 to 18. Founded by the Wisbech Guild of the Holy Trinity in 1379, it is one of the oldest schools in the country. The present headmaster is N.J.G. Hammond, a member of the Headmasters' and... |
Mixed |
Direct grant status was abolished at the same time and over 40 such schools, almost all Roman Catholic, converted to voluntary aided status.
Many voluntary aided schools converted to grant-maintained
Grant-maintained school
Grant-maintained schools were state schools in England and Wales between 1988 and 1998 that had opted out of local government control, being funded directly by a grant from central government...
status in the late 1980s, generally reverting to voluntary aided status when GM status was abolished in 1998.
A few formerly independent faith schools that had become grant-maintained in the early 1990s also converted to voluntary aided status at that time.
Characteristics
Voluntary aided schools are a kind of "maintained school", meaning that they receive all their running costs from central government via the local authority, and do not charge fees to students.In contrast to other types of maintained school, only 90% of the capital costs of a voluntary aided school are met by government.
The foundation contributes the rest of the capital costs, owns the school's land and buildings and appoints a majority of the school governors.
The governing body runs the school, employs the staff and decides the school's admission arrangements, subject to rules imposed by central government.
Pupils follow the National Curriculum, except that faith school
Faith school
A faith school is a British school teaching a general curriculum but with a particular religious character or has formal links with a religious organisation. It is distinct from an institution mainly or wholly teaching religion and related subjects...
s may teach Religious Education
Religious Education
Religious Education is the term given to education concerned with religion. It may refer to education provided by a church or religious organization, for instruction in doctrine and faith, or for education in various aspects of religion, but without explicitly religious or moral aims, e.g. in a...
according to their own faith.
Within the maintained sector in England, approximately 22% of primary schools and 17% of secondary schools are voluntary aided, including all of the Roman Catholic schools and the schools of non-Christian faiths.
Almost all voluntary aided primary schools and 93% of voluntary aided secondary schools are linked to a religious body, usually either the Church of England or the Catholic Church, with a minority of other faiths.