Voluntary controlled school

Avoluntary controlled school(VC school) is a state-funded school inEngland and Walesin which afoundationortrust(usually a Christian denomination) has some formal influence in the running of the school. Such schools have less autonomy thanvoluntary aided schools,in which the foundation pays part of any building costs.

Characteristics

Voluntary controlled schools are a kind of "maintained school", meaning that they are funded by central government via the local authority, and do not charge fees to students. The majority are alsofaith schools.

The land and buildings are typically owned by a charitable foundation, which also appoints about a quarter of theschool governors. However, the local authority employs the school's staff and has primary responsibility for the school's admission arrangements. Specific exemptions from Section 85 of theEquality Act 2010enables VC faith schools to use faith criteria in prioritising pupils for admission to the schools.

Pupils at voluntary controlled schools follow theNational Curriculum.

History

Prior to theEducation Act 1944,voluntary schoolswere those associated with a foundation, usually a religious group. That Act imposed higher standards on school facilities, and offered voluntary schools a choice in funding the costs this would incur.

• Voluntary controlled schoolswould have all their costs met by the state, but would be controlled by thelocal education authority.
• Voluntary aided schoolswould have all of their running costs met by the State, but their capital costs would only be partially state funded, with the foundation retaining greater influence over the school.

TheRoman Catholic Churchchose to retain control of its schools, while more than half ofChurch of Englandschools became voluntary controlled.

By 2008, in England, approximately 15% of primary schools were voluntary controlled, almost all of them associated with the Church of England. Only 3% of secondary schools were voluntary controlled, of which about half were Church of England schools.

In 2012, theFair Admissions Campaignbegan to encourage local authorities to stop using faith criteria in admissions policies for VC schools.

See also

• Voluntary aided school
• State-funded schools (England)
• Education in Wales
• Education in Northern Ireland
• Public education in the United Kingdom