ASCL comment on withdrawal of academy trust grants

01/11/2024
Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on the government’s decision to end grant funding to support schools choosing to become an academy as well as the trust capacity fund to help multi-academy trusts take on schools.
 
“The loss of this grant funding will make it more difficult for schools to join multi-academy trusts and for trusts to take on and support schools which are struggling. It is important that the government explains how it intends to provide support to schools having withdrawn funding which is intended to achieve that objective. We understand the drive to save money but the question of how we provide support to schools where that is needed is crucial to the future success of the education system. The government’s decision must not turn out to be a false economy.”