A voluntary aided school is a school in England where the governing body, as opposed to the Local Education Authority, employs the staff, and decides the admission arrangements, but the school is funded by the state and cannot charge fees. The governing body is usually controlled by a foundation or trust which often own the school's land and buildings and can appoint a majority of the governors. The governing body contributes towards the capital costs of maintaining the school buildings but, even so, the bulk of the funding (e.g., for teachers' salaries) comes from the state. Pupils follow the National Curriculum.

Approximately 20% of maintained state schools are voluntary aided. Most of these schools when historically founded were linked to either the Church of England or the Roman Catholic Church. Other VA schools are linked to other faith groups. There is now an increasing number of non-denominational schools.

Examples of non-denominational voluntary aided schools are Ermysted's Grammar School in Skipton; Pate's Grammar School in Cheltenham, which is funded through a charitable foundation set up by Richard Pate of Corpus Christi College, Oxford for the education of local children in 1574; Davenant Foundation School in Loughton, and Westminster City School for boys, a Christian Comprehensive School in London. Other examples include King Edward VI Five Ways, the Latymer School, Addey and Stanhope School, Crompton House, Hutton Grammar School, Little Heath School, London Oratory School, Prendergast School, Spalding Grammar Schooland Tenison's School.

See also

• Charter school
• Education in England
• Voluntary controlled school

References

• Teachernet Website