The table shows the percentages of pupils attending four different types of secondary schools in the years 2000, 2005 and 2009.
Overall, it is clear that community schools became much more popular over time, while the other three types of schools all saw a fall in student numbers. The most noticeable change was the sharp increase in community schools and the strong decrease in voluntary-controlled schools.
In 2000, voluntary-controlled schools were the most common choice, with 52% of pupils studying there. Grammar schools were the second most popular, accounting for 24%, while specialist schools and community schools had the lowest figures at 12% each. By 2005, the proportion of pupils in voluntary-controlled schools had dropped to 38%, and grammar schools also fell to 19%. Specialist schools declined slightly to 11%. In contrast, community schools rose significantly to 32%.
By 2009, community schools became the most popular type, with 58% of pupils attending them. At the same time, voluntary-controlled schools continued to fall sharply to just 20%. Grammar schools decreased further to 12%, and specialist schools had the smallest share at 10%.
In conclusion, the data shows a clear shift from traditional school types towards community schools over the period shown.