Applications open for second round of school improvement fund

Schools have until October 20 to apply for the government’s £140 million strategic school improvement fund.

They should explain what they intend to do with the money and why they deserve it through an online form on the government’s website.

The money is intended to provide additional funding to schools that need to improve performance and pupil attainment.

It can be used to help with areas that need improvement such as leadership, governance, teaching methods or financial health.

Applicants need to be designated teaching schools, multi-academy trusts or local authorities, and each application must support a minimum of four schools.

In order to qualify for the funds, schools have to meet certain criteria such as an ‘inadequate’ rating from their most recent Ofsted inspection, receiving a warning notice during the past three years, or having an overall Progress 8 score of less than -0.25.

Schools must also set out the expected costs and outcomes of prospective projects.

The National College of Teaching and Leadership, which runs the scheme, said individual applications should “typically be in the range of £100,000 to £500,000”.