GovWire

Eligibility

You can get support if:

• your school receives an Ofsted requires improvement judgement during the 2022 to 2023 academic year. This applies to:

  • local authority-maintained schools
  • single academy trusts (SATs)
  • multi-academy trusts (MATs) with only one school

Or

• your trust contains at least 2 schools that have been part of your trust for 3 years or more, and either:

  • at least 50% of your trusts schools have a current Ofsted requires improvement judgement or worse. This only includes schools that have been inspected since joining your trust. Or
  • there has been an overall decline in Ofsted judgements for schools within your trust. This only includes the schools most recent inspection since joining your trust

The ratings for both current and previous Ofsted inspections are based on the Ofsted management information which is published monthly.

Exceptional circumstances

If your school or trust does not meet these criteria but you feel you would benefit from the offer, email school.improvement@education.gov.uk. We will consider whether support can be provided in discussion with your regional schools commissioner (RSC).

Support available to eligible schools and trusts

Schools

Your school will be offered up to 10 days support and advice from a system leader. This will normally be a CEO of a strong MAT, supported by their wider team, or national leader of education (NLE). They will help your leadership team identify and implement improvements within the school, and support the building of relationships with a MAT, where appropriate.

Eligible MATs

MATs will get improvement support at trust rather than school level.

Your trust will be offered:

• up to 10 days support and advice from a CEO of a strong MAT, supported by their wider team. They will help your leadership team identify and implement improvements within the trust and ensure actions in schools align with the trusts approach to improvement
• access to governance support from a national leader of governance where beneficial and funding allows

When support is available

If you are eligible, or become eligible because of a new Ofsted rating, DfE will contact you within the term you become eligible.

Where a school is maintained, DfE will first contact your local authority. If it is also diocesan, DfE will also contact the diocese. DfE will inform them of the offer available before contacting your school directly.

For trusts, DfE will make direct contact with you when you become eligible.

Contact

Email school.improvement@education.gov.uk.