Academy (English school)

An Academy is a type of secondary school in England. Academies are state-funded schools, meaning they are free to attend, but they operate outside of local authority control. They have greater autonomy than local authority-maintained schools over areas such as curriculum, staffing, and school day length.

Academies were initially introduced in the early 2000s as a way to improve struggling schools, often in disadvantaged areas. The focus was on bringing in external sponsors, such as businesses, charities, or universities, to provide expertise and investment. Over time, the academy program has expanded significantly, and now many high-performing schools have also converted to academy status.

There are several types of academies, including:

• Sponsored Academies: These academies were set up to replace underperforming schools and have a sponsor that provides support and guidance.

• Converter Academies: These are existing schools that have chosen to convert to academy status, often because they are already successful and want greater autonomy.

• Free Schools: These are a type of academy that is set up by groups such as parents, teachers, charities, or businesses. They have more freedom to innovate and design their own curriculum and school day.

Academies are funded directly by the Department for Education and are overseen by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). They are inspected by Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills. Academy status allows schools to operate with increased freedom, but they are also held accountable for their performance through Ofsted inspections and performance data. They are also generally part of a multi-academy trust (MAT). A MAT is a single entity responsible for a number of academies.