Standards Fund

The Standards Fund provides resources for schools to support programmes related to school improvement and development, including the delivery of the primary and secondary strategies, as reflected in the Local Authority’s Education Development Plan and individual school targets.

From 2006-2007, there has been a further rationalisation of specific grants, in particular the merging of most Standards Fund grants for schools into an expanded School Development Grant.

Schools will see a per pupil increase in their 2005-2006 School Development Grant of at least 3.4% in 2006-2007 and a further 3.7% increase in 2007-2008. Schools are free to spend this grant on any purpose to support improvement in teaching and learning, leading to higher standards of attainment throughout the school.

Schools should see the Standards Fund as making a contribution to their development and improvement agenda, including personalised learning. In considering the most effective way of using their Standards Fund grants to meet their targets, schools can draw on the range of support available through the national primary and secondary strategies.

Full details and guidance on the Standards Fund have been sent to all schools.

The arrangements set out in here are for 2006-2007 and 2007-2008. Decisions on funding beyond 2007-2008 will be made as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review in due course.