Maintained schools are funded by central government via the local authority, and do not charge fees to students. The categories of maintained school are: community, community special, foundation (including trust), foundation special (including trust), voluntary aided and voluntary controlled. There are also maintained nursery schools and pupil referral units.
Most maintained mainstream schools operate within a two-tier education system. These are primary, which includes infant and junior, and secondary. Some schools operate within a three-tier system of first, middle and upper schools, while others are known as ‘all-through’, and provide for both primary and secondary aged pupils.
