High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! In a voluntary controlled school is a state-funded school in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in which a foundation or trust (usually a Christian denomination) has some formal influence in the running of the school.Prior to the Education Act 1944, voluntary schools were those associated with a foundation, usually a religious group. That Act imposed higher standards on school facilities, and offered voluntary schools a choice in funding the costs this would incur.The Roman Catholic Church chose to retain control of its schools, while more than half of Church of England schools became voluntary controlled.