The condition improvement fund (CIF) The condition improvement fund (CIF) is capital funding which keeps school and college buildings in good working order or supports a specific expansion projects that meet the criteria. Applications are now open for funding for 2026 to 2027. You must apply by midday on 16 December 2025. Funding is available … Continue reading Schools and colleges: apply for the condition improvement fund
Tag: Academies
Strategic school improvement capital budget (SSICB)
The Department for Education has issued new guidance for potential incoming responsible bodies that may need capital funding to support a school joining a strong trust through the sponsorship funding route, i.e. academy trusts taking on new schools. It is aimed at situations where the costs of taking on a school might be prohibitive. You … Continue reading Strategic school improvement capital budget (SSICB)
Updated DfE guidance on governance
The DfE have relased an update (25 June) to the Maintained schools governance guide 2025 which was initially released in October 2024. The June 25 update is summarised on their website here, and the full manual is available here. Similarly updated guidance for academies is available here, and the full manual here.
NEU General Secretary’s speech 2025
In his recent speech to the Union, General Secretary Daniel Kebede summarised the Union's key actions and concerns. Not surprisingly these centred on teacher pay and pensions, and one of his major criticisms was directed at Academy Trusts where CEO pay was felt to be much too high, using the half-million pound salary of the … Continue reading NEU General Secretary’s speech 2025
Education Committee question Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson
Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education and permanent secretary Susan Acland-Hood appeared before the Education Committee on 15th January. You can watch a video of the meeting here. Amongst other things, they spoke about: National funding formula under review; Academy changes will introduce a pay ‘floor, but no ceiling’; ‘Improving Education Together’ partnership aimed … Continue reading Education Committee question Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson
Calls are growing for the Department for Education to ditch its “coasting” intervention powers
An article in Schools Week highlights the issue of schools being given ‘coasting’ warnings despite raising grades and fresh starts. It concentrates on Academy Trusts in the main, but the trend in LA maintained schools is also mentioned. Schools Week quotes Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders: “[this] … Continue reading Calls are growing for the Department for Education to ditch its “coasting” intervention powers
Leadership Strategies in School Trusts
Edurio's new resource, "Leadership Strategies in School Trusts", explores what it takes to be a high-achieving leader in a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT). Exploring leadership practices across trusts, they draw insights from those achieving top leadership scores which are above national benchmarks in their data. The report is available on their website, here.
Academise so LAs can’t close you, diocese tells schools
This Schools Week article focuses on Catholic schools in London, but here in Derbyshire there is also some pressure for Church of England schools to academise - though not necessarily for the reasons noted by Schools Week.
The schools white paper policy tracker: What’s still left?
This article from Schools Week analyses the outcomes (so far) from the recent DfE ‘Opportunity for All’ White Paper. You can read it here, but below are the bare bones of how things are going: The two ‘ambitions’ - neither of these is on track An excellent teacher for every child: 2 delivered, 1 on track, … Continue reading The schools white paper policy tracker: What’s still left?
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