Academies

Ministers boost academy trust expansion cash

DfE sets out criteria for its latest trust capacity funding round

DfE sets out criteria for its latest trust capacity funding round

Academy trusts could receive up to £750,000 to take on at least five schools in underperforming areas.

And it seems they will no longer be penalised for “excessive executive pay” when bidding for expansion cash.

The Department for Education has set out the application guidance for the next waves of its “trust capacity fund” (TCaF), worth £86 million over three years.

A new strand from this year will be worth up to £750,000 over two years for trusts that take on at least five schools, one of which must be ‘inadequate’ or ‘requires improvement’ in one of the government’s education investment areas (EIAs).

The cash is also available for those wanting to form a new multi-academy trust with at least five schools in EIAs.

The amount on offer for smaller expansion projects has also risen. Those taking on at least one school with a less than ‘good’ rating in an EIA will receive up to £500,000 over two years, up from £300,000 in previous waves.

Trusts taking on a struggling school outside an EIA will get up to £250,000, up from £200,000.

The maximum “capacity giver” grant for trusts taking on ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ schools outside an EIA remains at £100,000.

Previously, trusts that received letters from the DfE on “excessive executive pay” could have points deducted from their applications for expansion cash.

But this did not feature in the most recent application guidance. The DfE said it was reviewing its “long-term approach to challenging comparatively high pay and, in the meantime, we are keeping this guidance under close review”.

‘More strategic approach’ welcomed

A new trust establishment and growth fund has also been launched to help expansion projects in their early stages. 

Up to £50,000 is up for grabs if trusts are planning to take on a minimum of three schools in any area.

Leora Cruddas, the chief executive of the Confederation of School Trusts, welcomed “this new more strategic approach” to capacity funding.

“We are particularly encouraged by strands one and two of TCaF where funding is available over two financial years, with larger grants sizes.”

In total, 103 trusts won funding in window two of last year’s bidding rounds, totalling £15.1 million. It takes the total for last year’s grants to £33.7 million.

Truro and Penwith Academy Trust landed the largest grant at £430,950. Futura Learning Partnership, Wessex Multi-Academy Trust and Wimborne Academy Trust received £300,000 each.

Latest education roles from

IT Technician

IT Technician

Harris Academy Morden

Teacher of Geography

Teacher of Geography

Harris Academy Orpington

Lecturer/Assessor in Electrical

Lecturer/Assessor in Electrical

South Gloucestershire and Stroud College

Director of Management Information Systems (MIS)

Director of Management Information Systems (MIS)

South Gloucestershire and Stroud College

Exams Assistant

Exams Assistant

Richmond and Hillcroft Adult & Community College

Lecturer Electrical Installation

Lecturer Electrical Installation

Solihull College and University Centre

Sponsored posts

Sponsored post

Beyond exams: why ASDAN’s refreshed qualifications are key to real-world learner success

In today’s outcome-driven education landscape, it’s easy to overlook the quieter, yet equally vital, qualities that help learners truly...

SWAdvertorial
Sponsored post

Turbo boost your pupil outcomes with Teach First

Finding new teaching talent for your school can be time consuming and costly. Especially when you want to be...

SWAdvertorial
Sponsored post

Inspiring Leadership Conference 2025: Invaluable Insights, Professional Learning Opportunities & A Supportive Community

This June, the Inspiring Leadership Conference enters its eleventh year and to mark the occasion the conference not only...

SWAdvertorial
Sponsored post

Catch Up® Literacy and Catch Up® Numeracy are evidence-based interventions which are highly adaptable to meet the specific needs of SEND / ALN learners

Catch Up® is a not-for-profit charity working to address literacy and numeracy difficulties that contribute to underachievement. They offer...

SWAdvertorial

More from this theme

Academies

Academy scandal reports will no longer name offenders

Reports are now 'outcomes' of investigations, as opposed to investigation reports

Jack Dyson
Academies

RISE improvement advisers: ‘best of the best’ or ‘clipboard carrying bureaucrats’?

Who are the government's new improvement advisers, and how will they operate?

Jack Dyson
Academies

Governors told to ‘resign’ if they don’t back Catholic mega MAT plans

And another diocese tells governors they could only pass compliance checks with evidence they supported academisation

Jack Dyson
Academies

Schools have 28% of budgets shaved off by academy trust ‘GAG pooling’

Unions are now demanding greater scrutiny over how trusts pool budgets, as schools await promised guidance

Jack Dyson

Your thoughts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *