The Place of Community Schools in English Education

Community schools, or state schools, are an important part of England's educational system. The Elementary Education Act of 1870, or Forster Act, established legislation to fund the first state schools in the country, and while these schools had existed before, they were then mostly run by religious institutions, charities or private individuals. These are schools that are funded by the state, and cover all key levels of education from early childhood right up to the age of 18.

While funded by the government, these are maintained and run by local authorities and councils, operating under a different legal governance framework from academies. The alternative is public schools - a confusing name given the fact that these public schools are exclusive and have premium fees, such as Eton or Harrow. The state schools, on the other hand, are free for all children to attend, and by no means offer a diluted or generic education. There are state schools that can specialise or have faculties that you would otherwise imagine at public schools.

Our goal, at Community Schools England, is to examine the intricacies of the country's educational system and showcase parents what community schools can offer. It can be confusing, and choosing the right school for your children is a major life decision that comes with its own difficulties. This is precisely what we want to demystify, to help you learn more about the state funded educational system in England, and what community schools can offer.

The Role of Local Authorities

The community school's local authority, and its relationships with this body, is one of the defining features of the institution. Community schools are maintained schools, meaning the local authority has a central role in their operation and legal framework. This does not mean that council officials run every aspect of a school's daily activities.

Local Authorities

Community schools have governing bodies and professional school leaders who are responsible for many aspects of school management. However, the local authority remains the maintaining body and has responsibilities that distinguish the school from an academy. One of the clearest examples is staffing. In a community school, the local authority is generally the employer of the school's staff. The authority also usually owns the school's land and buildings, although individual arrangements can vary. Government guidance states that community schools are usually based on land owned by the local authority.

How They Differ From Academy Governance

Academies are also state funded schools, but they operate under a fundamentally different governance model. Rather than being maintained by a local authority, academies are run by academy trusts, which are not-for-profit companies. The trust is responsible for the academy's governance and employs its staff. These academies also have greater freedom in certain areas. For example, they do not have to follow the national curriculum and can have greater control over their term dates and other aspects of how they operate. They remain subject to national requirements, including rules covering admissions, special educational needs and exclusions.

The difference, from the eyes of a parent, is not blatantly obvious at first. But think about it this way. Both community schools and academies are part of England's state-funded education system, do not charge standard tuition fees and are subject to national accountability arrangements. The distinction mainly revolves around who governs and maintains the school and where responsibility sits.

Where Community Schools Rank

Community schools are one category within a diverse state education system. They sit alongside foundation schools, voluntary schools, academies and free schools, while grammar schools and special schools can operate under different structures. Foundation schools are maintained schools but have greater independence from the local authority in certain areas. Their governing bodies are responsible for employing staff and admissions, while their land may be owned by the governing body, trustees or a foundation.

Voluntary schools are often associated with religious organisations and can be either voluntary-aided or voluntary-controlled, with different responsibilities for the governing body and local authority. Academies and free schools occupy another part of the system. They are funded directly by central government and operated by academy trusts rather than being maintained by local authorities. Grammar schools can themselves be operated by local authorities, foundation bodies or academy trusts and select pupils according to academic ability.

Who Runs and Oversees the Community Schools

Runs and Oversees

Although the local authority has a central role, community schools are not simply extensions of the council. They have governing bodies and school leadership teams responsible for overseeing the school's educational direction and day-to-day operation.

Governance provides an important layer of accountability. Governors have responsibilities relating to the strategic direction of the school, educational performance, financial oversight and other matters established by the maintained-school framework. Headteachers and other school leaders are responsible for the professional and operational management of the school.

Changes in Local Authority Maintained Schools

The position of community schools has changed significantly as academies have expanded across England. The academy programme has transferred many schools away from local-authority maintenance and into academy trusts.

As a result, local authorities no longer directly maintain every state-funded school in their areas. The growth of academies has changed the balance between maintained schools and academy schools, while councils have retained wider statutory responsibilities concerning education and securing sufficient school places.

This means community schools now operate in an education system where academy trusts play a major role. Nevertheless, the maintained-school model has not disappeared. Community schools continue to educate pupils across England and remain an established part of the state-funded system.

The Establishment of Community Schools

Community schools are tied to English education legislation, but they are also very much tied to local authorities. This standardises, yet diversifies the institutions, from compliance with national curricula and frameworks to the appointment of local staff and use of local resources. Councils also have duties here to the establishment of schools. They have to ensure that the schools are comfortably housed in dedicated buildings, ensure there are enough schools in the area, and determine that there are ample choices for education.

This boils down to how the schools are governed, the process and formalities of admission, and how responsibilities must be divided between all relevant parties. Parties ranging from the school staff and leadership right up to the local authorities and then the governing bodies.

Why Community Schools Remain Relevant Today

State schools can provide everything that you, as a parent, would expect from a modern, high-end educational facility. Each community school has its own distinctive strengths and features, so these cannot be drawn under the same bracket. You can freely look at different schools and observe their key strengths, be them based in the arts, sciences, physical education, or have competitive facilities for the older, sixth form students.

Our mission is to make this entire system easier to understand. If you want to learn about the distinctions between community schools and academies, learn about the broad range of subjects and curricula in community schools, or find out how these organisations tick, you have come to the right place. At Community Schools England, you can always find the help you need on learning about English schools and the country's education system.