School Governance in England from 2010 to 2024: academies, maintained schools and the changing roles of central and local government

This chapter focuses on school governance in England and changes between 2010 and 2024. The massive increase in academies – single academy trusts and multi-academy trusts (MATs) – has shifted power from local democratically elected local authorities to central government. The chapter addresses the overall governance of academies and local authority-maintained schools before focusing specifically on school admissions, the curriculum and financial arrangements. By analysing documentary and research evidence, this chapter demonstrates how autonomy varies between maintained schools and academies (of different types). This chapter argues that there is a strong case at least for a common rule book with equivalent levels of autonomy and institutional control for all state-funded schools.