What is the difference between a voluntary aided school and a voluntary controlled school?
The 1944 Butler Education Act finally established a national system of free primary, secondary and further education, funded by the rates and national government. Prior to this Act, education was provided by “Board schools” paid for by local rates and by voluntary schools, which were partly supported by local rates and government grants but which also relied heavily on voluntary contributions from parishes and individuals. The 1944 Education Act introduced two categories of voluntary schools, the voluntary aided school and the voluntary controlled school, most of which were Church schools. Those schools which, chose to come under the control of the Local Education Authority, came into the category of voluntary controlled schools. In these schools, the Local Education Authority now became responsible for all the expenses of the school. It also took responsibility for the appointment of all but a very small number of teachers and for seeing that religious instruction was, for the most pa
