Education Authority Schools

These are the equivalent of state schools in the rest of the UK. One of the local authority’s obligations is to provide schools for all the five to 16-year-olds in the area, as well as school or college places for those who want to stay in school after 16. The education authority pays all salaries and expenses so that the service is free to all children in its area.

• Local schools

The education authority decides what is taught at the school and how pupils are examined and assessed. It allows parents to choose which school their children attend and publishes information on each school in its area. Each education authority school should have a school board - made up of parents, teachers and members of the local community - that can have wide powers including involvement in recruitment of staff below the level of head teacher.

• Special schools

A special school is designed to meet the needs of those who cannot attend ordinary school and have ‘recorded’ special needs. The teachers and other staff are usually specially trained in appropriate methods of teaching and care. A small number of children in special schools attend on a residential basis so that they can receive full-time care.

• Denominational schools

These are run in the same way as other education authority schools, except that teachers may be selected on the basis of religious beliefs as well as educational qualifications. Special time may be set aside for religious services and an unpaid religious supervisor, possibly the local priest, will report to the education authority on the religious instruction in the school.

Independent schools

Independent schools must be approved by the Scottish Minister for Children and Education and must reach certain standards on premises, numbers, ages and sex of pupils, teaching staff and safety standards. Funding may be from fees only or from both fees and charities.

Technology academies

Independent schools called technology academies can be set up by private individuals or organisations. They can be established by agreement with the Scottish Minister for Children and Education and financed by the government, as long as certain conditions are met. These must include that secondary education is to be provided, no fees are to be charged, and that there is a broad curriculum with an emphasis on science and technology.

Self-governing schools

Self-governing schools are those that have ‘opted out’ of local authority control. They are run by a board of management that consists mostly of parents and are financed by grants from central government.