Grant-maintained schools are characterized by:

Grant-maintained schools are characterized by:

• A. They remain under direct local authority control.
• B. They cannot set budgets
• C. They have no autonomy
• D. They receive direct grants from the government and can select some students

Answer: (D)

Grant-maintained status means a school operates with a high degree of independence from the local council and is funded directly by the central government. This direct funding bypasses the local authority, giving the school control over its budget and admissions more than usual. That combination—receiving direct grants from the government and having the ability to set admissions policies to admit certain pupils—is exactly what distinguishes grant-maintained schools. The other statements imply ongoing local authority control, no budget autonomy, or no autonomy at all, which don't match how grant-maintained schools were designed to function.

Grant-maintained status means a school operates with a high degree of independence from the local council and is funded directly by the central government. This direct funding bypasses the local authority, giving the school control over its budget and admissions more than usual. That combination—receiving direct grants from the government and having the ability to set admissions policies to admit certain pupils—is exactly what distinguishes grant-maintained schools. The other statements imply ongoing local authority control, no budget autonomy, or no autonomy at all, which don't match how grant-maintained schools were designed to function.