EiC Strategy

Beacon Schools development under the EiC strategy

Currently there are only 3 of the 75 Beacon schools in the key identified inner city areas. Under Excellence in Cities, the whole national initiative will be expanded to 1,000 schools by 2002.

At least one in four Beacons will then be in or serving an inner city area (but not necessarily limited to the initial EiC areas).

All Beacons outside inner city areas will also have specified inner city partners written into their contracts.

Beacons may also have a role in helping to turn around the weakest schools so that it would be possible to pair Beacons which have particular strengths with schools which are failing or have areas of serious concern.

However, Beacons are not only intended for those with problems. Any school, which is interested in raising its standards, should consider whether it may be able to benefit from exposure to the different ideas and practices that Beacons can offer.

Beacon schools will also often be the place to locate centres of excellence in supporting gifted and talented pupils.

Beacon schools are awarded up to £50,000 a year from Standards Fund in exchange for an agreed programme of additional activities.

The first stage of the expansion programme will be 50 new Beacons in or serving the key inner city areas by January 2000. This will enable Birmingham to have at least one and up to three new Beacons schools.

The minimum entitlement for Birmingham in the subsequent expansions in September 2000 and September 2001 will be one additional Beacon at each stage.

As part of the local partnership responsible for delivering the strategy, LEA's will have a role in helping to draw up the strategic plan with the Department.

This may include a strategy for using Beacon schools to introduce and spread good practice to all our schools and to provide sustained help and support to underperforming schools.

Criteria for identifying Beacon schools in inner city areas is currently being developed, but is likely to build on the criteria adopted to date, namely a combination of factors including school performance data in relation to school circumstances and corroborating school inspection evidence.