School improvement monitoring and brokering grant: payment conditions

We sought views on proposals to attach conditions to the payment of the Local Authority School Improvement Monitoring and Brokering grant in order to ensure that it is contributing, all across England, to the delivery of urgent school improvement priorities.

Broadly, respondents were supportive of our proposals, or indicated that the proposed conditions would not have a significant impact on local authorities, schools and pupils.

After careful consideration of the responses, we decided to proceed with our proposals to attach conditions to the grant. In light of queries raised by respondents, we have ensured that the grant terms and conditions allow local authorities flexibility in how they carry out their school improvement functions whilst prioritising educational recovery; we have provided an indication of the types of activity that a local authority should undertake in order to demonstrate compliance with the grant conditions; and we have clearly set out the process by which the department will work with local authorities to secure compliance where there are concerns.