1. SDBE - Developing Church of England Education
Legislation Update
SDBE - Developing Church of England Education

2. New VA School Capital Scheme
Statutory guidance on application processes now published
Must meet a demand both for basic need and diversity of choice
Meets community cohesion objectives
February 2019 deadline for applications
New scheme announced in government’s response to Schools That Work for Everyone
SDBE will be putting together a bid for a secondary school in Kingston
Community cohesion follows the Integrate Communities Green Paper published by the government last year
10% capital costs
No 50% admissions cap like free schools
This would not affect C of E approach anyway – more about allowing new Catholic Schools to open
SDBE - Developing Church of England Education

3. SDBE - Developing Church of England Education
Free School Programme
Wave 13 criteria emphasised basic need and areas without Free Schools
Future waves may focus on special schools/alternative provision (e.g Summer 2018)
LAs working alongside an established provider
Less money now available for Free Schools since the Summer 2017 announcement reallocation monies from the DfE’s budget from other areas (including Free Schools) to the main schools’ budget.
Free Schools make up 2% of schools (476)
SDBE re-submitted its Sutton co-ed non-selective secondary school bid under wave 13, with even more expressions of support from local parents and the community than last time around.
SDBE - Developing Church of England Education

4. SDBE - Developing Church of England Education
Structural Change
SoS is referring to academy status as a ‘positive choice’
No plans for wide-scale mandatory conversion of schools beyond the scope of the 2016 Act
2016 Education and Adoption Act – schools in a category
Mobile phone national ban in schools in France. SoS wants to respect school autonomy and not implement a similar ban here, although he supports heads who do so.
SDBE - Developing Church of England Education

5. NAO Report - AC Conversion
National Audit Office report on converting schools into academies
35% of all schools are academies
27% of primary schools are academies
72% of secondary schools are academies
Rate of conversions has remained quite constant at primary level since 2011/12 and at secondary level since 2013/14. Would take 7 years at present rates for all secondary schools to become academies, and decades for all primary schools to do so.
SDBE - Developing Church of England Education

6. Accountability Framework
Consultation in early 2019 on amalgamating the ‘coasting’ and floor standards
New information to hold MATs to account
No forced conversion or warning notices for ‘coasting’ schools
SoS recently announced new 3 days worth of NLE support for ‘coasting’ schools
Schools judged R.I. in their previous 2 inspections will receive a £16k grant
No schools will get warning notices that are not in a category
SDBE - Developing Church of England Education

7. National Funding Formula
DfE has published notional school-level allocations for here
DfE will continue to allocate funding to LAs basis of the total given for schools in their area under the NFF
LAs will then continue to set a local formula
Next government spending review will begin in 2019 covering 2020 and beyond
National funding formula is still subject to transitional arrangements (capped at +0.5% and +3% respectively)
SDBE - Developing Church of England Education

8. Extra Capital Funding 2018-19
In the budget an additional £400 million capital funding was announced
Aimed at improvements (not major projects) to buildings/equipment/ICT
Initial DfE guidance estimates this is worth:
Primary schools - £10,000
Secondary schools - £50,000
The precise formula/allocations will be published in the new year
Normal DFC rules will apply to this funding which means some schools may have the flexibility to spread this money over the following two financial years if necessary.
SDBE - Developing Church of England Education

9. SDBE - Developing Church of England Education
DfE Advice
School resource management here
Mental health and behaviour in schools here
Improving the home learning environment here
School resource management good for governors – new procurement advice and nationally negotiated deals
Mental health new version is about is about helping schools identifying potential mental health problems in pupils, and how to create a whole school approach to positive mental health. Fiona Foreman will send out briefings in due course.
Improving the home learning environment new document is for early years providers on a ‘society wide approach’ to promoting early language development and literacy skills in pupils’ homes
SDBE - Developing Church of England Education

10. Admissions - PLAC Abroad
Schools Minister’s letter in December 2017
DfE informal advice September 2018
Schools are not required to adopt the requested changes in advance of any new School Admissions Code
Any parties concerned with the legality of the SAC would challenge the DfE, not schools
OSA/appeals panels would not find current policies non-compliant
Only Surrey and Southwark have approached me about this
Discuss danger of a soc-med fudge
SDBE - Developing Church of England Education