THE GOVERNMENT’S plans to improve the school funding formula have been met with skepticism from some of Malvern’s headteachers.
Worcestershire is one of the lowest funded counties in the country but the Department for Education has announced details of a fairer scheme to secure better funding for local schools.
Education Secretary Justine Greening revealed the £1.3billion cash injection will be distributed to each school’s individual needs, with secondary schools receiving a new minimum of £4,800 per pupil.
Primary schools are expected to receive at least £3,500 per pupil with the Secretary of State adding an extra £26million will be allocated to help rural schools.
However, Mike Fieldhouse, headteacher at The Chase School, told the Observer he remains ‘mindful’ that a lot could change before the new funding formula is implemented for the next academic year.
“As the gap between funding and expenditure continues to widen, this potential increase is welcomed news,” he said.
“However, a recent article on TES (Times Educational Supplement) said that this may be ‘optional’.”
The TES reported last week that even though the Education and Skills Funding Agency guidelines state local authorities will receive enough money to provide the £4,800, they do not have to pass it onto schools.
The ESFA’s guidelines also say the authorities can introduce the minimum spend for 2019/20 and not the 2018/19 academic year.
“We will continue to monitor this and look forward to finding out what this means for our school,” added Mr Fieldhouse.
“As areas of the school budget have been reduced over the last five years, it will be interesting to find out whether this does result in an actual increase.”
Lindsey Cooke, headteacher at Hanley Castle High School, was also unsure over the announcement, stating the £4,800 funding per pupil might not necessarily mean an overall increase of funding due to the reduction of money coming from the education services grant.
“It’s a cautious welcome to the new funding formula,” she said.
“With the fact other streams of funding are being reduced, it feels like the Government are giving with one hand but taking with the other.”
Mrs Cooke added: “I am a little bit worried that there will not be an overall net increase in funding for all schools even though the Government are claiming funding is at record levels.”
Despite the concerns, West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin, who has campaigned for fairer funding since 2010 and lobbied a succession of Government Ministers to secure it, celebrated the DofE’s announcement.
Mrs Baldwin labelled the rise, which will see Worcestershire 3.2 per cent better off, as ‘good news’ and plans to discuss the changes with headteachers in the near future.
“The Government has consulted across the board to try and get the best possible deal for all schools and bring much more fairness into the funding system,” she said.
“Securing fairer funding has been one of my top priorities and I am delighted to be able to finally say that this manifesto pledge has now been delivered.”
