Strategic Intervention Grants (SIGs)

The SIG is an annual grant allocated to LEAs to run any of 4 initiatives in schools to strengthen their strategy for raising literacy and numeracy standards. These are:

• Centres of expertise
  For sharing expertise and good practice between teachers in schools in an LEA, can be physical or virtual centres.
  

• Catch-up Programmes
  Interventions that target pupils who are falling behind the level expected of a pupil of their age at critical points (Yr 2/3 & Yr 6/7) in school. This can include bridging programmes which span the primary and secondary phases.
  

• Out of School Initiatives
  To enable schools, with LEA help, to develop innovative approaches to basic skills teaching outside the formal curriculum - particularly with pupils beyond year 7.
  

• Key Stage 4 Initiatives for Disengaged Young People
  For LEAs to extend their work with disengaged young people through alternative curricula and new and varied approaches to learning, particularly those with school/college partnerships.

The grant varies, depending on the size of the LEA. The Agency also holds a termly seminar to inform LEAs of new developments and share good practice.

Link Officers make termly monitoring visits to their LEAs to check on the progress of the initiatives and LEAs are required to produce an Annual Review of their initiatives.

If you want to find out more then contact Dafydd Lloyd on 020 7440 6511, or email dafyddl@basic-skills.co.uk