Voluntary Aided Schools -School Condition Applications for 2025/26
All VA Headteachers and Chairs will have received an email with a letter outlining the process. Applications for 2025/26 Schemes closed on the 2nd December 2024, please contact the Education Team if you have any questions.
Categories of Church Schools
The different categories of church schools require their property to be managed in different ways. Whether your school is a voluntary controlled, voluntary aided, academy or a free school, find out the latest advice and guidance for any property and buildings work below.
Voluntary Schools
Voluntary (aided or controlled) schools usually comprise two charities that work interdependently, the governing body, a corporate body created under the School Standards Framework Act (SSFA) 1998, which runs the school the charity usually called the foundation, which holds the land and buildings on trust for the provision of a school and/or for specified religious and educational purposes.
Each of these charities has its charity trustees (usually called “site trustees”). Governors are charity trustees.
Refer to the Deputy Director of Education for information on the trustees of the foundation.
To find out more about the rules governing the use of the site, capital expenditure, SCA grants and consent for capital works click on the buttons below.
Guidance for Maintained Voluntary Aided and Controlled Schools
Capital Project - Initial Request
Capital Project Implementation Approval
Academies
Standalone academies (single academy trust)
Academies comprise three charities that work interdependently.
- The academy trust (academy proprietor) is the charity. The academy is the charitable activity of the academy trust.
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The directors of the academy trust are charity trustees and company directors.
- The charity usually called the foundation, which holds the land and buildings on trust for the provision of a school and/or for specified religious and educational purposes
Multi Academy Trusts (a group of Academies)
The above three charities apply but:
- The academy trust is one single charity
- The directors of the academy trust are both charity trustees and company directors
- Each school has its local governing board (LGB), these are not charity trustees but are sub-committee with delegated authority as set out in the scheme of delegation
Capital Project - Initial Request
Capital Project Implementation Approval