Estimates day: spending of the Department of Education House of Commons, 3 July 2018

We remain concerned that the introduction of the National Funding Formula, combined with changes to High Needs Funding, will exacerbate existing shortfalls in funding to support children and young people with SEND. We want to see funding for High Needs increased to meet sharply increasing demand for SEND support.

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Schools funding

  • All children deserve access to the best possible education. Data shows that council-maintained schools receive better Ofsted ratings, and under-performing schools are more likely to improve when supported by their local council than by an academy sponsor. LGA research shows that ninety-one per cent of maintained schools are now rated as either good or outstanding.
  • We were pleased that the Government recognised concerns raised by the LGA and announced in July 2017 that an additional £1.3 billion would be allocated to schools during 2018-19 and 2019-20, meaning that no school would lose out under the new National Funding Formula.
  • While the introduction of the National Funding Formula will see the budgets of 22,000 schools set in Whitehall, we are pleased that until 2020 at least, councils and schools will retain some flexibility to agree a slightly different allocation to reflect local needs and circumstances.
  • We remain concerned, however, that the introduction of the National Funding Formula, combined with changes to High Needs Funding, will exacerbate existing shortfalls in funding to support children and young people with SEND. We want to see funding for High Needs increased to meet sharply increasing demand for SEND support.

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Estimates day: spending of the Department of Education House of Commons, 3 July 2018