Education projects in Suffolk designed to improve maths and English results have been awarded more than £900,000 in Government grants.
The Department for Education this week unveiled the winners in the first two rounds of its Strategic School Improvement Fund – a dedicated pot of £140million designed specifically for improvement projects.
Suffolk projects in the second round of bids have totalled £904,000.
The Samuel Ward Academy teaching school and overall trust were successful in two bids totalling around £450,000 – one for supporting primary school maths teaching and one to support the teaching of literacy in primary schools.
The maths scheme will employ two teachers who specifically go around schools to train and assist teachers, while the literacy project entitled Success For All uses a research-based programme to improve literacy.
A trust spokesman said: “We are very pleased – it’s research based so we are really thrilled.”
The Asset Education academy trust has been awarded £176,000 to bring the Power of Reading scheme to 10 schools, which will provide training and resources for a programme of reading.
A further £120,000 bid to bring the Oracy Project – based around spoken language skills – to 10 schools, has also been approved.
Clare Flintoff, executive principal said: “Both of these programmes are going to transform the curriculum for children in all the schools involved.
“They are proven programmes that have raised standards wherever they have been introduced.”
She added: “We are delighted to be able to show what a successful multi-academy trust can achieve for its own and other local schools.”
Debenham High School has been granted just over £100,000 for its teaching school to work with local primary schools’ teachers and teaching assistants in Key Stage Two maths.
Headteacher Julia Upton said: “We are delighted to secure that funding – particularly for smaller, financially challenged rural schools.”
Suffolk County Council’s bid for £58,700 was given the green light, and will see the authority work alongside two teaching schools in providing support for children with special educational needs at four Suffolk primary schools.
Suffolk County Council’s education cabinet member Gordon Jones, said: “The grants awarded will enable schools to work together in strengthening practice and learning from each other so that pupils achieve their full potential.
“Building collaborative working between schools is a key priority in the Raising the Bar strategy 2018-20 and this additional funding will give school leaders additional resources to do this effectively.”
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