Have you seen the guidance from the DfE to provide additional funding to maintained schools and academies that remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic?
The funding will be available to those schools or academies (whether mainstream, special, alternative provision, hospital, all-through or 16-19) who have incurred additional costs to stay open over the May/June end of term or half term break(s). Types of costs included are:
- increased premises related costs (utilities and other resources needed to keep the school open during the Easter and/or summer half term holidays)
- free school meals (FSM) for eligible children who are not attending school, where those costs are not covered by the free school meal (FSM) national voucher scheme
- additional cleaning required due to confirmed or suspected coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, in line with COVID-19: cleaning of non-healthcare settings, over and above the cost of existing cleaning arrangements
If a school faces other extraordinary costs to deliver appropriate support to their pupils through this period that are not listed and cannot be met by existing budgets, they should contact DfE.CoronavirusHelpline@education.gov.uk.
The following claim cost limits have been applied for mainstream schools and academies:
- £25,000 (250 pupils or fewer)
- £30,000 (251-500 pupils)
- £50,000 (501-1,000 pupils)
- £75,000 (over 1,000 pupils)
- Special schools and alternative provision can claim for these costs up to £50,000
The additional funding provisions require that the costs must be legitimate and that schools keep detailed records of expenditures as Annual accounts will need to identify any additional funding received along with the associated expenditures.
Guidance on how to access the funding is expected in June 2020.
You can read the full guidance on the additional funding for exceptional costs associated with coronavirus (COVID-19) for the period March 2020 – July 2020 here: