Catalogue description Board of Education and predecessor: Elementary Education, Voluntary Schools Association Files

In 1897, on the advice of the Education Department, Church Associations were formed throughout England with which the department could negotiate on matters arising out of the Education Act of that year. The associations could, if so desired, consist of a federation of schools of different denominations, whilst their areas were not obliged to be Diocesan in character. The constitution of the governing body of each association, and its rules, needed the approval of the Education Department.

The prime purpose of the associations was to administer the aid grant under the Voluntary Schools Acts, 1897. This grant was allotted to the various associations, from moneys provided by Parliament, on the basis of the average attendances of scholars in associated schools and for the purpose of helping necessitous schools and of increasing their efficiency. Each association prepared and submitted annually for the Education Department's approval a scheme for the distribution of aid grant, recommending the amount of aid (if any) to be paid to each school and stating the specific purpose for which the money was to be applied. The aid grant was used primarily for increasing and maintaining the salaries of teaching staffs and for the repair (but not structural alterations) and equipping of the school buildings.

Voluntary schools are public elementary schools not provided by a school board and set up on the advice of the Education Department to administer the aid grant under the Voluntary Schools Act 1897. The allotment of aid grant ceased on the introduction of the Education Act 1902, and the changes produced by this Act necessitated the revision of the constitution, rules and functions of the governing bodies of the several associations.

The allotment of aid grant ceased on the introduction of the Education Act, 1902, and as a consequence the special function of the associations was changed. Under the new Act, the managers of voluntary schools became responsible, inter alia, for the cost of keeping their schools in good repair and of making such alterations and improvements to the buildings as may be reasonably required by the newly established local education authorities; these latter authorities were responsible for the repair of any damage to the schools buildings as they considered to be due to fair wear and tear.

The changes produced by the Education Act, 1902, necessitated the revision of the constitution of the rules of the governing bodies of the various voluntary schools associations and, in response to the Board of Education's Circular 472, dated February 1903, revised rules were submitted to the board for approval. Furthermore, on the recommendation made by the board in the same circular many, if not all, of the associations formed and administered an approved general fund for the purpose of meeting the liabilities of managers of associated schools under the Education Act, 1902. The nucleus of the general fund was formed, in a number of cases, from the residue of aid grant left over after outstanding liabilities of associated schools had been met, and was maintained principally from voluntary subscriptions.

Under s 11 of the Education Act 1902, it became necessary for orders to be made by the Board of Education for appointing Foundation Managers for those schools which had no available trust deeds or for those whose existing deeds were inconsistent with the provisions of the Act or were insufficient or inapplicable or the purpose. The Voluntary Schools Associations proved helpful in collecting and submitting to the board, applications for orders from those of their schools which were affected.