School Improvement Fund
The Area Analysis Groups have been meeting across the county to discuss the national Strategic School Improvement Fund bidding opportunity. This is a fantastic opportunity for all schools within Warwickshire to identify key priorities and then to get substantial funding to support the development required.
The School Improvement Fund is aimed at ensuring resources are targeted at schools most in need of support to drive up standards, use their resources most effectively and deliver more good school places. The fund is available to support primary, secondary, special schools and both maintained and academy schools. Further information is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/strategic-school-improvement-fund
The overarching theme will link to Raising attainment through challenging underachievement predominantly focused on disadvantaged pupils but not exclusively. Regionally the priorities have been agreed as Vulnerable Learners, Closing the Gap and Leadership & Management.
The intention is to submit a number of substantial Warwickshire wide bids over the 4 rounds of funding to fund a range of interventions that will address identified needs and will be sustainable. The projects will run from September 2017 to March 2019. Existing evidence of what works will help determine the programme of activity that is likely to address the identified need. Bids will also be submitted by Coventry and Solihull, there will be several 'golden threads' woven through all 3 bids which will indicate our partnership working and strategic approach at a sub-regional level.
The 'golden threads' that will be woven through the Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull bids will include:
- Quality assurance. This could include funding for peer reviews and task group meetings.
- Research, in conjunction with Warwick University
- Coaching for leadership development
- Improving the achievement of white working class boys
We will update schools on the success of the bids as soon as announcements are made.