Leading Voluntary-Aided Faith Schools in England: Perspectives from Catholic, Anglican and Jewish Headteachers

Voluntary-aided faith schools exhibit a unique combination of characteristics that is not shared by other state-funded schools in England including responsibility for admissions, employment of staff (including the right to prioritise on the basis of faith), control of the RE curriculum, ownership of the premises, and funding from and being part of Local Authorities. This paper draws on the findings of an EdD thesis which investigated the perceptions of headteachers of voluntary-aided schools regarding their leadership roles, responsibilities and challenges. A number of emergent themes evolved; some common to all while others were more evident within particular denominations.