An academy school is a fairly new term, but we are seeing an increase in these types of schools opening up. The main difference between a community school and an academy is that a community school is financed by a local council where as an academy receives it’s funding from the government.

The main benefit for a school becoming an academy is an improvement in their financial situation. All academy schools will be given a twenty five thousand pounds budget for improvement initially. They will also receive as much as a 10% increase on their budget allowing them to invest more in the areas they need to.

Academies have the right to set their own pay scales, saving money in some areas or increasing the pay for good teachers allowing them to hold on to them. If the academy can source services more cheaply, then they are allowed to buy them in themselves.