10 February 2020 DfE extends academy trust capacity fund to rural maintained schools

Rural schools maintained by local authorities will be able to access DfE funding for the first time in order to encourage them to become academies and form new multi-academy trusts

The DfE has extended the trust capacity fund, which was originally launched last year.  The fund will continue to be used to support strong trusts to grow and innovate, accelerate the development of mid-sized trusts and create new strong trusts

However, it can now be used to support outstanding or good local authority maintained schools to collaborate and create new, strong multi-academy trusts