Will the Minister explain why the Welsh Government has ended the small and rural schools fund?
Answered by Minister for Education and the Welsh Language | Answered on 24/03/2022
Local authorities were made aware from the outset that this grant was time-limited and submitted their plans for expenditure and sustainability on that basis. The grant was due to end on 31 March 2021, but to support transition the Welsh Government extended the grant by a further year.
Learning lessons from the grant and building on some of its benefits, the funding is being repurposed to support schools to federate and also to further expand the innovative e-sgol initiative, which aims to provide equality of opportunity for learners in rural areas.