The act significantly amended legislation relating to
academies, publicly funded schools operating outside of local government control and with a significant degree of autonomy areas such as wages and digressing from the national curriculum. Academies were originally set up under the
Learning and Skills Act 2000 under the name "city academies", and were renamed to "academies" by this act. Schools which have innovative ideas to improve education, but are prevented by an existing law from implementing them, will be able to apply for exemption from that law. Schools which demonstrate a high standard of teaching will be given exemption national controls such as the
national curriculum, agreements on teachers' pay and conditions and the way the scheduling of the school day and terms. Schools designating or re-designating as
specialist schools could now gain specialisms in
Business and Enterprise,
Engineering,
Mathematics and Computing and
Science. The act imposes various minimum standards for
private schools in areas such as
health and safety and space requirements. == Notes ==