The geek's guide to secondary schools

Academy schools

These are state schools that are directly funded by central government. Academies do not have to follow the National Curriculum. They do not charge fees. Academies are bound by the mandatory requirements of the School Admissions Code.

Community schools

Community schools are state-maintained, run by the local authority (Hertfordshire County Council, in this case). These schools follow Hertfordshire County Council's admission rules. There are different rules for mixed (also known as co-educational) and single-sex schools. The local authority employs the staff, owns the land and buildings, and decides on the admission criteria to apply if the school is oversubscribed. The schools receive funding from the local authority, follow the National Curriculum and are regularly inspected by Ofsted.

• You should apply online or complete the paper secondary application form.

Foundation schools

Foundation schools are run by their own governing body, which employs the staff and sets the admissions criteria. Each school has its own unique set of rules – look for your school, using the A-Z below, and you'll see the rules that will be applied if the school is oversubscribed. Land and buildings are usually owned by the governing body or a charitable foundation. The governing bodies of these schools set and publish their own rules. Foundation schools are state-maintained, as they receive funding from the local authority (Hertfordshire County Council). They all follow the National Curriculum and are regularly inspected by Ofsted.

• You should apply online or complete the paper secondary application form. In addition, most foundation schools request that parents/carers complete a supplementary information form to enable the governing body of the school to assess your application correctly. Please contact the school to request a form. If you are applying to Ashlyns or Mount Grace, you only need to fill in the secondary application form.

Free schools

These are state schools that are centrally funded - and all ability. They are non profit making and independent, and can be set up by a wide range of proposers (eg parents, charities, universities or businesses). These schools have even more autonomy than academies. Teachers, for example, do not necessarily need to have Qualified Teacher Status. These schools will be subject to Ofsted inspections.
SchoolGuru’s Admission Calculator can help with many free schools in Hertfordshire – and we're working on the rest.

Studio schools

Studio Schools offer academic and vocational qualifications, but teach them in a practical and project-based way. Study is combined with paid work placements with local and national employers that are involved in the school. One example is the Da Vinci Studio School, which opened in September 2012.

University Technical Colleges

UTCs are a new concept in education. They are sponsored by a university and offer clear progression routes into higher education or further learning in work. They offer 14-19 year olds technically-oriented full time courses. Students learn in a very practical way, integrating national curriculum requirements with technical and vocational elements. The UTC ethos and curriculum is heavily influenced by local and national employers who also provide support and work experience for students.

Voluntary-aided (VA) schools

These are mainly religious or 'faith' schools - ie, Church of England, Catholic, Jewish, or have charitable status. The schools have governing bodies that employ staff, and set the admissions criteria. Each school has its own unique set of rules – look for your school, using the A-Z below, and you'll see the rules that will be applied if the school is oversubscribed. School buildings and land are normally owned by a charitable foundation, often a religious organisation. VA schools are state-maintained, as they receive funding from the local authority (Hertfordshire County Council). The governing body contributes to building and maintenance costs. VA schools all follow the National Curriculum and are regularly inspected by Ofsted.

• You should apply online or complete the secondary application form. In addition, most voluntary-aided schools request that parents/carers complete a supplementary information form to enable the governing body of the school to assess your application correctly. Please contact the school to request a form.

SchoolGuru's Admission Calculator can help with most VA schools – and we’re working on the rest.