The Department for Education has published the second consultation on its national funding formula – revealing more details about which schools will win and lose under the new cash distribution model.
The formula aims to address wide gaps in school funding between different geographical areas by using a new method to distribute cash. The proposed formula would result in more than 10,000 schools gaining funding, and more than 3,000 of them receiving an increase of more than 5%. The transition year of 2018-19 will allow local authorities to continue to set local formulae, in preparation for 2019-20, when the national funding formula will set the vast majority of each school’s individual funding. Schools that are due gains will see increase of up to 3% in 2018-19 and up to a further 2.5% in 2019-20.
I welcome the Secretary of State’s statement this afternoon setting out the details of how the Government intend to introduce a national funding formula to make funding fairer for schools and children.
Given the complexity of this issue, the devil will really lie in the detail and I do have some initial concerns that the proposed formula will not plug the substantial gap in funding given to schools in West Sussex against the national average.
There are also issues with the timeframe for implementation which may put additional strain on already stretched school budgets. There are immediate funding shortfalls after years of unfair funding and schools need generous transitional help now.