The Education Act 2002 (c. 32) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that gave schools greater autonomy to implement experimental teaching methods.

[1] 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.

[2] 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.

[3] Schools designating or re-designating as specialist schools could now gain specialisms in Business and Enterprise, Engineering, Mathematics and Computing and Science.

[4][5] The act imposes various minimum standards for private schools in areas such as health and safety and space requirements.