Free Schools and Academies Explained

If you've looked at schools in your area, you've almost certainly seen the words "academy" or "free school" in their name or description. Over half of all state-funded schools in England are now academies, and the number continues to grow. But what does this actually mean for your child? This guide explains academies and free schools in plain terms.

What Is an Academy?

An academy is a state-funded school that operates independently of the local authority (council). Instead of being run by the council, academies are run by an academy trust - a charitable organisation that has a direct funding agreement with the Department for Education (DfE).

Crucially, academies are not private schools. They are free to attend, funded by the taxpayer, and open to all children. The key difference from a traditional community school is who runs the school, not who pays for it.

There are two main types of academy:

Converter Academies

Converter academies are schools that were already performing well (typically rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted) and chose to convert to academy status. Conversion gives them more autonomy over how they operate. These schools made a voluntary decision to leave local authority control.

Most converter academies continued largely unchanged after converting - same staff, same ethos, same admissions arrangements. For parents, the change was often barely noticeable.

Sponsored Academies

Sponsored academies are schools that were underperforming (often rated Inadequate by Ofsted) and were required to become academies. They're paired with an academy trust - the "sponsor" - that takes over governance and is expected to drive improvement.

Sponsored academies often undergo more visible changes: a new name, new leadership, new uniform, and sometimes significant changes to how the school operates. The goal is rapid improvement, and many sponsored academies have seen strong results, though outcomes vary.

What Are Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs)?

A multi-academy trust is an organisation that runs more than one academy. MATs range from small groups of two or three local schools to large national trusts running 30 or more schools across different regions.

MATs matter because they set the strategic direction for their schools. A strong MAT can provide:

• Shared expertise and training for teachers
• Economies of scale (bulk purchasing, shared back-office services)
• Consistent policies across schools
• Leadership support - if a headteacher leaves, the trust can provide interim leadership quickly
• Collaboration between schools on curriculum and best practice

However, not all MATs are equal. Some have faced criticism for top-heavy management, high executive pay, or imposing one-size-fits-all approaches. When researching a school, it's worth looking at the trust that runs it - check their other schools' Ofsted ratings and results to get a sense of the trust's track record.

What Are Free Schools?

Free schools are brand-new schools that have been set up from scratch, rather than being converted from existing schools. They were introduced in 2011 and can be proposed by groups including:

• Parents who want a particular type of school in their area
• Teachers who want to set up a school with a specific approach
• Charities and community organisations
• Existing academy trusts looking to expand
• Businesses and universities

Free schools are approved and funded by the DfE. They are academies in legal terms - they have the same freedoms and operate under the same framework. The difference is simply that they are new schools rather than conversions of existing ones.

Free schools have been established for various reasons: to meet demand for school places in growing areas, to offer a distinctive educational approach (such as a knowledge-rich curriculum or bilingual education), or to provide a specialist alternative (such as a school for children with specific special educational needs).

Academy Freedoms: What Can They Do Differently?

Academies and free schools have certain freedoms that local authority schools do not:

• Curriculum: academies don't have to follow the National Curriculum, though most still do (or follow something very close to it). They must still teach English, maths, and science, and students still sit the same GCSEs and A-levels
• Pay and conditions: academies can set their own pay scales and terms for staff, rather than following national agreements. In practice, most academies still broadly follow national pay scales to remain competitive
• School day: academies can set their own term dates and length of school day. Some have introduced longer days with built-in homework time or enrichment activities
• Spending: academies receive their funding directly from the DfE and have more control over how they spend it

In reality, most academies use these freedoms cautiously. The day-to-day experience for pupils is often very similar to a local authority school, especially at converter academies that were already successful.

Will All Schools Become Academies?

Successive governments have pushed for more schools to become academies, and the direction of travel has been clear: the proportion of academies has grown steadily every year. Schools rated Inadequate by Ofsted are required to convert, and many trusts actively seek to grow by bringing in more schools.

However, full academisation has not been mandated by law, and many good local authority schools have chosen not to convert. The landscape continues to evolve, and government policy may change further.

How Do Admissions Work at Academies?

This is an area where many parents are confused. Here's the key point: academies and free schools must follow the School Admissions Code, just like any other state school. This means:

• They cannot charge fees
• They cannot select pupils by ability (unless they're a designated grammar school)
• They must publish clear admissions criteria
• They must participate in the local authority's coordinated admissions process
• Parents apply through the same system as for any other state school

The one difference is that many academies are their own admissions authority - meaning the academy trust sets the oversubscription criteria, not the local authority. In practice, the criteria are usually similar (looked-after children first, then siblings, then distance), but it's always worth checking the specific school's admissions policy.

Our guide on how catchment areas work explains oversubscription criteria in more detail.

Common Misconceptions

"Academies are private schools"

No. Academies are state-funded and free to attend. They receive public money and must follow the same admissions rules as other state schools.

"Academies can teach whatever they want"

While academies have curriculum flexibility, they still have to provide a broad and balanced education, and their pupils sit the same national exams. Ofsted inspects academies using the same framework as all other schools.

"Free schools are experimental"

Free schools go through a rigorous DfE approval process before they open. They are inspected by Ofsted in the same way as any other school. Many free schools are now well-established and highly regarded.

"Academy conversion means a school has failed"

This is only true for sponsored academies. The majority of academies are converter academies - schools that were already performing well and chose to convert for greater autonomy.

Faith Academies

Some academies have a religious character (Church of England, Catholic, or other faiths). Faith academies operate under the same framework as other academies but may use faith-based oversubscription criteria - for example, prioritising families who attend a particular church. They are still state-funded and free to attend, and must still follow the Admissions Code.

What Practical Differences Will Parents Notice?

Honestly, for most families, the practical differences between an academy and a local authority school are minimal. Your child will:

• Apply through the same admissions system
• Follow a similar curriculum
• Sit the same exams
• Be inspected by Ofsted in the same way
• Receive the same entitlements (free school meals, SEND support, etc.)

Where you may notice differences is in the school's identity and culture - especially if it's part of a large MAT with strong branding and consistent policies across its schools.

How to Check If a School Is an Academy

You can check any school's status on School Signal - search for the school and look at its details page, which shows the school type (community school, academy converter, academy sponsor-led, free school, etc.) along with the trust it belongs to if applicable.

For more on the different types of schools available in England, read our comprehensive guide to types of schools in England. If you're interested in selective state education, our guide to grammar schools explains how they work and how to apply.