Funding for challenging schools - brokerage and rebrokerage. Chris Senior, Team Leader, DfE Academies Group

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1 Funding for challenging schools - brokerage and rebrokerage Chris Senior, Team Leader, DfE Academies Group Debbie Usherwood, Team Leader, East Midlands and Humber RSC Office

2 Brokerage

3 What is brokerage? Ministers believe the most rapid way to secure sustainable improvement in underperforming maintained schools is for them to become sponsored academies. Currently, maintained schools are judged as underperforming when: Eligible for intervention under the Education and Inspections 2006 Act (i.e. in special measures, serious weaknesses or having failed to comply with a warning notice given by a local authority) as detailed in Schools Causing Concern guidance; or where the LA and/or Secretary of State have other serious concerns which need tackling, such as schools consistently below the floor standards, particularly if they are an Ofsted Grade 3 with declining results.

4 Fast Track grant criteria Any funding provided will depend on immediate needs to begin turning the school around and the level of complexity of the project. Before any funding is agreed we will take account of the financial and educational position of the school to be sponsored and the trust. The vast majority of projects will receive fast track funding which is currently: 70k (primary) / 80k (secondary/all-through) To qualify a school will need to meet some or all of the following criteria: School performance is weak / in SM/SW. Staffing/leadership issues are being/have been resolved. Project is expected to take up to 4-5 months to open. In very exceptional cases additional funding may be available, but this will be on a case by case basis and will need to be evidence based, support VFM and is only available for certain activities.

5 Beyond Fast Track: Intermediate and Full Sponsored In considering whether it is appropriate to provide additional funding the RSC will take account of the following factors: The school s current performance. The length of time it has been below floor. Significant recent falls in pupil attainment and/or progress measures. The length of time the school has been in Ofsted category 4. The need for significant restructuring across the school. How new the sponsor is. Whether the project requires interventions (which would not be feasible under fast track due to the budget and time required to complete the action. Building works needed to improve the educational environment (signage/decorating). Expected time needed to open the academy.

6 Assessment of need: Fast Track, Intermediate and Full Sponsored grants what are they? Primary & secondary schools Fast track sponsored 70k (primary) / 80k (secondary/all-through). Intermediate sponsored - 90k (primary) / 115k (secondary/all-through). Full sponsored - 110k (primary) / 150k (secondary/all-through). PRUs Building Capacity grant: there is a different rate according to number of agreed places. This is paid before signing of FA. 8,750 (under 20 places) / 17,500 (20 to 49 places) / 26,250 (50 to 79 places) / 35k (80+ places). Fast track sponsored - 45k Intermediate sponsored - 90k Full sponsored - 110k Special Fast track sponsored 70k Intermediate sponsored - 90k Full sponsored - 110k Any grants are subject to DfE due diligence and RSC approval.

7 Rebrokerage

8 Rebrokerage the triggers Where an academy is not making rapid, sustainable improvements and other interventions have been tried, we may take a decision to rebroker the school to another trust. There are a number of triggers for why this might happen, often more than one: Educational performance where we are not reassured that the existing trust has the capacity to bring about the necessary improvements at the academy Financial or governance concerns where we have serious concerns about the financial performance and/or governance of a trust and its ability to continue to support all its schools Safeguarding where we have had complaints or where the school is not actively promoting British values eg through the curriculum

9 Rebrokerage the triggers Trusts may also take a decision to give up one of their schools eg on the basis of geography There may also be other considerations eg the numbers and VFM of a school Trusts may decide that they no longer wish to sponsor schools and want to wind up the trust

10 Rebrokerage the process Jenny Bexon-Smith will take the decision to rebroker the academy and identify a possible new sponsor taking account of the capacity of the new trust and how this fits with her overall strategy for our region We will work with EFA colleagues, the existing trust and the school to carry out an assessment of the issues We will have conversations with the new sponsor to understand their interest (without a commitment at this stage) The new sponsor will work with the existing trust and the school to carry out their due diligence Once this is completed, Jenny will sign off the sponsor match and any funding will be signed off by the Minister or at a very senior level in the Department EFA colleagues will then work with both trusts and the academy to complete the transfer

11 Possible sources of funding It is unlikely that any funding will be available for rebrokerage cases. Our position is that: the outgoing sponsor should not receive any funding to cover winddown costs incoming sponsors will not receive funding to cover any deficit Capital funding will need to be treated outside any rebrokerage discussions In very exceptional cases limited funding may be available, but this will be on a case by case basis and will need to be evidence based, support VFM and is only available for certain activities. Before any funding is agreed we will take account of the financial and educational position of the existing trust, the new trust and the school.

12 If funding is agreed it could be: Possible sources of funding Transfer grant funding the costs associated with ensuring the optimal performance of the academy eg school improvement support Financial support funding costs associated with ensuring the continuing financial viability of the school eg statutory redundancy costs covering pre academy statutory service in line with the funding agreement Any funding will need to be agreed by very senior Departmental colleagues and the Minister.

13 Questions?