Education Business

NEW RELEASE:
EDUCATION BUSINESS 23.04

Money for good schools to grow

Good or outstanding grammar school will be able to expand to create more school places, with help from a £50 million Selective Schools Expansion Fund.

This is one of several measures the government has announced to grow the number of school places to meet rising demand.

Another measure is to make it easier for faith groups to open new voluntary-aided faith schools, although the government has said that the 50 per cent cap on faith admissions for free schools will remain.

These expansion plans are on a condition that selective and faith schools improve their accessibility for disadvantage pupils. Grammar schools, for example, will have to submit a Fair Access and Partnership Plan setting out what actions they will take to be more inclusive.

What’s more, a Memorandum of Understanding with the Grammar School Heads’ Association has been signed outlining the sector’s commitment to widening access and how it will work with local schools to raise standards for all children.

Read more on the measures to increase the number of school places on page 21. Meanwhile, page 41 discusses the Healthy Pupil Capital Fund which will allow schools to invest in building projects that will help tackle obesity and inactivity, such as new playgrounds, sports facilities and kitchens.

Angela Pisanu, editor