Introduction to academy schools

Copyright © 2025 LexisNexis
Produced in partnership with Nicholas Hancox of Nicholas Hancox Solicitors Ltd and Victoria Hatton of Browne Jacobson LLP
Practice notes

Introduction to academy schools

Copyright © 2025 LexisNexis

Produced in partnership with Nicholas Hancox of Nicholas Hancox Solicitors Ltd and Victoria Hatton of Browne Jacobson LLP

Practice notes
imgtext

Three types of academy

Many of the state-funded secondary Schools in England are now academies. The Department for Education (DfE) regularly publishes a sprEAdsheet showing the total number of academies, with details of the schools that have converted or are in the process of doing so.

There are no academies in Wales. Although the Academies ACT 2010 (AcA 2010) does apply in Wales, the provisions for the creation and funding of new academies apply only in England.

Academy schools are defined in AcA 2010, s 1A. Academy schools are technically defined as independent schools, but this independence is from the local authority for the area in which they are situated, and not from the state. An academy school can be:

  1. •

    a ‘special academy’ if it is organised to make special educational provision for pupils with special educational needs

  2. •

    an alternative provision (AP) academy, defined in the AcA 2010, s 1C. These are 'schools' (see section 4(1C) of the Education Act 1996 (EA 1996)) which are roughly

Powered by Lexis+®
Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom
Related legal acts:
Key definition:
Academy school definition
What does Academy school mean?

State school in England operating under the Academies Act 2010 (AcA 2010) and regulated by a funding agreement with the Department for Education.

Read more readmore

Popular documents

School land and premises

School land and premisesOwnership of school land and premisesThe ownership of school sites and playgrounds, school buildings and school playing fields depends for the most part on the type of school in question.Community schoolsThe land and premises at ‘community’ schools belong to the local

Ofsted's enforcement policy

Ofsted's enforcement policyOfsted regulationThe Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates childminders, childcare providers and children’s social care providers under the Childcare Act 2006 (ChA 2006) (childminders and childcare providers) and the Care

Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST)

Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST)What is the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST)?The Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST) is part of the First Tier Tribunal (FTT) (Health, Education and Social Care Chamber (the

If a child’s name has been changed by deed poll can they child be registered at school by the new name

If a child’s name has been changed by deed poll can they child be registered at school by the new name rather than their birth certificate name?In answering this Q&A, we have considered whether a child should be registered at school by their new name after it has been changed by deed poll, or