Funding Information
The majority of the funding for the school comes from the general annual grant (GAG) which is received from the Education and Skills Funding Authority (ESFA). This is made up of:
– The school budget share which is calculated on the same basis as for maintained schools in the same local authority.
– The education services grant (ESG) protection if applicable
– A minimum funding guarantee that protects the school budget share. This means per-pupil funding will not fall by more than 1.5% compared with the previous year.
In addition, we receive the Pupil Premium Grant and the PE and Sport Premium Grant.
Pupil Premium
The pupil premium grant is funding to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in state-funded schools in England. In the financial year 2023-24, pupil premium spending will increase to almost £2.9 billion.
The following groups are eligible for pupil premium:
- pupils who are recorded as eligible for free school meals, or have been recorded as eligible in the past 6 years, including eligible children of families who have no recourse to public funds (NRPF)
- children looked after by local authorities, referred to as looked-after children
- children previously looked after by a local authority or other state care, referred to as previously looked-after children
PE and Sport Premium
All children and young people should live healthy active lives. The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend that all children and young people should take part in moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity for at least 60 minutes every day. Children with special educational needs and disabilities should take part in 20 minutes of daily activity.
The Childhood Obesity Plan says that at least 30 minutes of daily activity should take place in schools.
Schools have a key role to play in achieving this aim. This is particularly true of primary schools where the foundations of positive and enjoyable participation in regular physical activity are embedded. All children should have equal access to high-quality PE provision and opportunities to experience and participate in a wide range of sports and physical activities. Academic achievement can improve in school because of the benefits children can gain.
Schools should use the PE and sport premium funding to help achieve these aims. It must not be used for core-type school activities. They should use it to make additional and sustainable improvements to the PE, sport and physical activity they provide, such as:
- funding high-quality PE and sport for at least 2 hours a week, complemented by a wide range of extracurricular sport and competitive opportunities
- providing or improving equal access to sport for boys and girls
Schools should prioritise PE and sport premium spending to improve in the following 5 key areas:
- increasing all staff’s confidence, knowledge and skills in teaching PE and sport
- increasing engagement of all pupils in regular physical activity and sport
- raising the profile of PE and sport across the school, to support whole school improvement
- offer a broader and more equal experience of a range of sports and physical activities to all pupils
- increase participation in competitive sport
For the year 2023 to 2024, the amounts payable will be:
- schools with 16 or fewer eligible pupils will receive £1,000 per pupil
- schools with 17 or more eligible pupils will receive £16,000 and an additional payment of £10 per pupil
Audit
The Trust appoints an external auditor to conduct both termly and annual audits of the Trust Schools.
In addition, the Trust’s Chief Finance Officer conducts regular checks in each school to ensure that financial policy and practice is being adhered to consistently.