A scheme providing grants to schools to boost connectivity in the classroom will now only be available to ‘stuck’ schools eligible for RISE improvement support.
Previously, all schools located in an “education investment area” (EIA), left-behind parts of the country, had been prioritised funding through the connect the classroom scheme.
But Schools Week revealed in March officials were drawing up fresh eligibility criteria after the EIA programme was axed by the new government.
And in an update published today, the Department for Education confirmed those “receiving targeted intervention” through RISE will be eligible for the scheme, which aims to improve class internet speeds.
They will be contacted directly by DfE and receive funding if they fall below its “wifi connectivity standards”, which include having “fully functional signal from a wireless network” and “installing security features to stop unauthorised access”.
£25m available this year
The government said £25 million is available in 2025-26 – this is less than the almost £54 million a year allocated on average through the fund between 2021 and 2025.
Over the period, £215 million had been handed out.
However, government said it was inaccurate to make such a comparison – as funding for the first year of new schemes is always less before projects are scaled up.
It added the £25 million funding was more than the £18 million invested in the first 12 months after connect the classroom was launched by the Conservatives in 2021.
“In the previous connect the classroom programme, investment increased as the project progressed because it takes time to work with the schools to ensure value for money and positive impact from the technology,” DfE said.
However, the department was unable to confirm the size of future funding pots because of the ongoing multi-year spending review.
Figures obtained by Schools Week show 428 schools were given support through the scheme in 2021. In 2022, 229 schools received £12.5 million. The following year, more than £94 million was handed to 1,303 schools.
Government said around 400 ‘stuck’ schools are due to get support. While the number of schools eligible is lower, more pupils will benefit as the cash will reach more secondaries, it added.
Under the last government, EIA schools were also prioritised for money through the trust capacity fund, which was binned by Labour towards the end of last year.
Priority area funding not extended
Meanwhile, secondary teachers working in the investment areas could access larger targeted retention incentive payments, previously called levelling-up premiums.
DfE confirmed they will still be in line for bigger amounts in 2025-26. However, this will be reviewed ahead of the following round.
As part of the EIA programme, 24 of the regions were later classified as priority education investment areas (PEIAs), places with high levels of deprivation as well as low achievement.
They were allocated a share of the £42 million local needs fund, used to pay for bespoke interventions to improve attainment in the PEIAs through to the end of March 2025.
At the time, the schools white paper said this would aim to address “entrenched underperformance, including in literacy and numeracy”.
But Labour also decided not to extend that funding for PEIAs.
Our analysis two years ago suggested the EIAs and PEIAs received just £50 per child through the schemes.
Clarification: This story was updated to add the government’s statement that the funding this year did not amount to a cut.
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