Foundation schools will not have the funding and admissions freedoms previously enjoyed by GM schools, and the Funding Agency for Schools will be wound up. Although the government expects schools to restructure along these lines, they will be able to opt for any new category if they consult all interested parties. Parents would be able to raise a petition for a ballot to be held, if they disagreed with the proposal being put forward by the governing body. Governing bodies All publicly maintained schools have a governing body, which is usually made up of a number of parent representatives, the headteacher and serving teachers, and governors appointed by the local education authority or church authorities. Schools can also appoint up to four ''sponsor governors'' from the business world, who are expected to provide financial and managerial assistance.
Governors are responsible for the main policy decisions within schools, including academic matters.
They also shoulder responsibility for school discipline, and the appointment and dismissal of staff. Governing bodies are responsible for implementing the recommendations of inspection reports, and are required to make those reports and their resulting action plans available to parents.