Devolved Capital Programmes

We administer the devolved capital programmes, as follows:

Devolved Formula Capital
LA Capital Maintenance and Local Authority Co-ordinated Voluntary Aided Programme (LCVAP)
New pupil places (Basic Need)

Devolved formula capital (DFC)

Funding is allocated each year to primary and secondary schools' priority work on buildings, ICT and other capital needs. For 2011-12 the programme provides £182m for maintained schools including £36m for voluntary-aided (VA) schools.

The grants may be used for improvements to buildings and other facilities, including ICT, or capital repairs/refurbishment in accordance with priorities set by each school and in line with the local asset management plan. VA schools cannot spend the grant on playing fields or buildings on those fields.

We administer grants via local authorities to Voluntary Controlled, Community and Foundation schools, and directly to Voluntary Aided schools.

The capital grants are paid in two instalments in May (40%) and July (60%) (where this is paid through local authorities these should be passed on to the schools accordingly).

The formula for allocation includes an amount per school plus an amount per pupil. For VA schools these are adjusted for each Governing Body’s contribution and eligibility for VAT.

	LA school	VA school
Per school sum	£4,000	£4,320
Per primary pupil	£11.25	£12.15
Per secondary pupil	£16.875	£18.23
Per SEN/Boarding/PRU pupil	£33.75	£36.45

Local Authority Capital Maintenance and Local Authority Co-ordinated Voluntary Aided Programme (LCVAP)

Funding is allocated at local authority area level to improve the condition of the school and Sure Start estate. Priorities for investment in school buildings and facilities are decided locally, in line with priorities set out in local asset management plans.

We administer grants to local authorities for Voluntary Controlled, Community and Foundation schools and Sure Start Centres (i.e. for local authority prioritised projects), and directly to Voluntary Aided schools (for projects agreed through the Local Authority Co-ordinated Voluntary-Aided Programme (LCVAP) process).

The resources available are allocated to local authority areas on the basis of “relative need”. For this purpose 'need' is measured in terms of schools and pupils, for those schools which are expected to be maintained by the LA as at 1 April. Weightings are applied to take account of whether or not schools have been modernised.

Allocations are also adjusted to reflect the relative costs of building work in different regions across the country. Allocations for LA sector and VA schools are calculated separately.

LA capital maintenance grants are paid in nine monthly instalments – May 2011 to January 2012. Grants to local authorities are unringfenced.

VA capital payments are paid on receipt of claims and invoices for work carried out.

New pupil places (Basic Need)

Funding is allocated to support local authorities in their statutory duty to ensure sufficient school places, by ensuring the provision of new school places where they are needed. While allocations are made to local authorities the funds should be used to provide places in any type of school (including all types of maintained schools (including VA), Academies and Free Schools).

The resources available are allocated to local authority areas on the basis of relative need. For this purpose 'need' is measured in terms of forecast pupil growth for the period (provided by local authorities through the School Capacity returns). Weightings are applied to take account of whether places are in primary or secondary schools, and are also adjusted to reflect the relative costs of building work in different regions across the country.

Basic Need grants are paid in nine monthly instalments – May 2011 to January 2012. These grants are unringfenced.