What is the role of the Local Education Authority (LEA)?
LEAs have a central role in supporting schools causing concern. Raising attainment in schools facing challenging circumstances needs the combined and concerted efforts of schools, LEAs and the DfES. Schools must agree their Raising Attainment Plan with their LEA to access funding under Part C of the School Improvement Grant. LEA officers can offer detailed knowledge of the school’s past performance, and specific expertise that can aid the school in setting raising attainment targets and in monitoring progress towards these. The LEAs involved in the pilot partnership initiatives found it helpful to offer a commentary on their schools to HMI prior to monitoring visits. LEAs can play a key role in facilitating clusters of schools or partnerships.
