Thousands more children are set to benefit from the government’s flagship new school improvement teams as the programme significantly ramps up this week.
The government’s RISE (Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence) teams are expanding their reach from an initial 32 schools to more than 200, impacting over 120,000 children.
This expansion coincides with the progression of the government’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill in the Lords, introducing new laws to support families, ensure child safety, and elevate every school to the highest standards. RISE teams, backed by £20 million, are central to the government’s mission to enhance school standards nationwide as part of its Plan for Change.
Each RISE school could receive up to £100,000 in support to improve the quality of education for children and young people. The expansion includes tripling the number of RISE advisers, with an additional 45 starting this week, bringing the total to 65. These advisers are experts with proven records in school improvement, primarily academy trust leaders, already working to drive up standards in schools.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson commented:
“No child should be spending precious days, let alone years, in schools that are underperforming.
“Our new RISE teams, made up of the best of the best in school improvement, can be the spark that turns around the life chances of tens of thousands of children.
“RISE teams have already hit the ground running, and as we deliver on our Plan for Change, I am determined to make sure we lift every school, for every child, up to the standard of the best.”
There are over 600 ‘stuck’ schools in England with consecutive poor Ofsted judgements, attended by more than 300,000 children. Data shows that schools supported by RISE advisers have spent an average of 6.6 years rated below good by Ofsted, meaning children spend their entire primary or secondary education in underperforming schools. Some schools have been stuck for over six years, and 42 for more than 11 years, highlighting the urgent need for improvement.
RISE advisers are creating bespoke improvement plans and pairing the first 32 ‘stuck’ schools with high-quality multi-academy trusts for support and expertise. Trusts involved include Mulberry Schools Trust, L.E.A.D Academy Trust, and Northern Education Trust. RISE teams will also work across all schools, sharing best practices and focusing on four national priorities: attainment, attendance, inclusion, and reception year quality.
The Department for Education is establishing a new RISE operational stakeholder group to advise on delivery and ensure sector views are reflected.
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