What is "foundation school"

Foundation \Foun*da"tion\, n. [F. fondation, L. fundatio. See Found to establish.]

1. The act of founding, fixing, establishing, or beginning to erect.

2. That upon which anything is founded; that on which anything stands, and by which it is supported; the lowest and supporting layer of a superstructure; groundwork; basis.

   Behold, I lay in Zion, for a foundation, a stone . . . a precious corner stone, a sure foundation.
   --Is. xxviii. 16.

   The foundation of a free common wealth.
   --Motley.

3. (Arch.) The lowest and supporting part or member of a wall, including the base course (see Base course (a), under Base, n.) and footing courses; in a frame house, the whole substructure of masonry.

4. A donation or legacy appropriated to support a charitable institution, and constituting a permanent fund; endowment.

   He was entered on the foundation of Westminster.
   --Macaulay.

5. That which is founded, or established by endowment; an endowed institution or charity; as, the Ford Foundation.

   Against the canon laws of our foundation.
   --Milton.

   Foundation course. See Base course, under Base, n.

   Foundation muslin, an open-worked gummed fabric used for stiffening dresses, bonnets, etc.

   Foundation school, in England, an endowed school.

   To be on a foundation, to be entitled to a support from the proceeds of an endowment, as a scholar or a fellow of a college.

In England and Wales, a foundation school is a state-funded school in which the governing body has greater freedom in the running of the school than in community schools. Foundation schools were set up under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 to replace grant-maintained schools, which were funded directly by central government. Grant-maintained schools that had previously been voluntary controlled or county schools (but not voluntary aided) usually became foundation schools.

Foundation schools are a kind of "maintained school", meaning that they are funded by central government via the local education authority, and do not charge fees to students. As with voluntary controlled schools, all capital and running costs are met by the government. As with voluntary aided schools, the governing body employs the staff and has responsibility for admissions to the school, subject to rules imposed by central government. Pupils follow the National Curriculum.

Some foundation schools, also called trust schools, have a foundation or trust that owns the land and buildings. Otherwise the land and buildings are owned by the governing body. The foundation usually appoints about a quarter of the school governors, as in voluntary controlled schools, but in some cases it appoints the majority of governors, as in voluntary aided schools.

Within the maintained sector in England, approximately 2% of primary schools and 15% of secondary schools are foundation schools. Almost all of these are non-faith schools. The proportion is considerably smaller in Wales, where four primary schools and eight secondary schools have foundation status.

Foundation schools bring together medical schools, the local deanery, trusts (acute, mental health and PCTs) and other organisations (e.g. hospices) to offer foundation doctors training in a range of different settings and clinical environments in order to complete the Foundation Programme. The schools are administered by a centrally located group of staff members which is supported by the deanery.

The Christ Church Foundation School is a co-educational grammar school, located in Church Hill, Barbados. Founded in 1809, it is classified among the prestigious 'older secondary schools' in the island. It is one of only four secondary schools to have been attended by Prime Ministers of that country, namely Sir Harold St. John and Freundel Stuart. The school’s illustrious alumni also includes notable sportsmen and entertainers such as Rosemary Phillips, Joel Garner, Barry Forde, Alison Hinds, and novelist and playwright, Glenville Lovell.