There are a number of different types of schools in Nottingham. Different kinds of schools are run in different ways, implementing different policies and serving different educational needs. The main categories of schools are described below:

• Community Schools - Run by the local authority (LA), which employs the staff, owns the school land and buildings and has primary responsibility for deciding on pupil admission criteria.

• Foundation Schools - the governing body employs the staff and sets the admissions criteria. The school land and buildings are owned by the governing body or a charitable foundation. There is one Foundation School in Nottingham- Fernwood Comprehensive School.

• Trust Schools - a foundation school supported by a charitable foundation or trust, which appoints school governors. A trust school employs its own staff, manages its own land and assets, and sets its own admissions criteria. There is one Trust School in Nottingham- The Hadden Park High School.

• Voluntary Controlled Schools- mainly religious or 'faith' schools, but run by the LA. The land and buildings are often owned by a charitable foundation, but the LA employs the staff and has primary responsibility for admission arrangements.

• Voluntary Aided Schools - often religious schools with the difference that the governing body, often a religious organisation, employs the staff and sets admissions criteria. The school land and buildings are also owned by a charitable foundation.

• Academies - all-ability, secondary schools established by sponsors from business, faith or voluntary groups in partnership with central government and LAs. They either replace one or more existing schools facing challenging circumstances or are established where additional school places are needed.

• Community and foundation special schools - cater for children with specific special educational needs, such as physical or learning difficulties.

• Learning Centres - cater for children of compulsory school age who may otherwise not receive suitable education, focusing on getting them back into a mainstream school.

Community Schools

The majority of pupils are educated in state-maintained community schools, sometimes referred to as mainstream or 'ordinary' schools. Community schools have a lot in common; they are all funded by local authorities, follow the national curriculum and are regularly inspected by the Ofsted.

Nottingham City Council is the admission authority for community schools in Nottingham, with responsibility for offering or refusing places. Individual schools and Headteachers are not allowed to offer or refuse places. All applications must be made on the relevant form to the Council. 

Single sex education for girls

The Nottingham Girls' Academy is a community school, which provides single sex education for girls between the ages of 11 and 16.  

Applications must be made on the relevant form to the Council and are considered from parents throughout the city who would like their daughters to receive a secondary education in a single sex school.

Nursery Schools

Many of the city's primary schools have nursery units and there is also the Nottingham Nursery School and Training Centre in Radford. 

The school's Governing Body decides their admission arrangements.  If you would like to apply for nursery education for your child, you should contact the Headteacher of the school to find out about the admission policy and how to apply. Children can receive nursery education from the ages of three or four, normally for a half-day session every day, unless the setting has the capacity to offer more.

Please note that a place in a nursery unit does not guarantee your child a place at the school.

Voluntary Controlled Schools

These were originally provided by voluntary organisations, but are now maintained by the Council.

Admission arrangements are usually the same as for community schools. There is only one Voluntary Controlled school in the City: Bulwell St Mary's Church of England Primary and Nursery School. All applications must be made on the relevant form to the Council.

Voluntary Aided Schools

These are partly maintained by the Church of England or Roman Catholic Church and partly by the Council. There are a number of voluntary aided schools in the City. They are included in the list of schools at the back of the 'Going to School in Nottingham' booklet.

The admissions authority for each Voluntary Aided school is the school's Governing body. They will have their own arrangements about how they consider applications for places. These must be in accordance with the:

• Schools Standard and Framework Act 1998,
• Education & Inspections Act 2006, and
• Statutory School Admissions Code

A summary of the admission policies is at the back of the 'Going to School in Nottingham' booklet. 

 Academies

There are four academies in Nottingham - Djanogly City Academy, The Bulwell Academy, Nottingham University Samworth Academy and Nottingham Academy.

Academies have their own admission arrangements about how applications for places are considered. These must be in accordance with the:

• Schools Standard and Framework Act 1998;
• Education & Inspections Act 2006; and
• Statutory School Admissions Code.

A summary of the admission policy is at the back of the 'Going to School in Nottingham' booklet.

Community and foundation special schools

There are six special schools in Nottingham. Children who attend special schools have statements of special education needs.

Special Educational Needs Team.

Learning Centres

There are five Learning Centres in Nottingham which provide individualised education to children and young people.