Declares that Calderdale schools are in urgent need of extra funding to offset the worst effects of the proposed National Funding Formula and increased costs; further which sees more than three quarters of Calderdale schools significantly disadvantaged under such funding arrangements.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to fund all schools fully and properly as a matter of urgency and necessity; and further to invest in both staff and pupils; further to commit to such investment over the life of this Parliament, and further to recognise the potential negative impact of insufficient funds on children's educational outcomes if schools are unable to maintain adequate staffing levels, safe environments and appropriate learning resources.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Holly Lynch, Official Report, 17 July 2018; Vol. 645, c. 373.]
[P002212]
Observations from the Minister for School Standards (Nick Gibb):
School funding is at its highest ever level at £42.4 billion this year and £43.5 billion next year. Figures from the Institute for Fiscal Studies show that real terms per pupil funding in 2020 will be more than 50% higher than it was in 2000. A primary school class is now funded to £132,000 up from 10 years ago and a secondary school class is funded up to £171,000 more.
As the petitioners note, we have also introduced a new national funding formula for schools. This is an historic reform. For the first time in 2018-19, school funding was distributed based on the individual needs and characteristics of every school in the country. In 2019-20, all schools in Calderdale and across the country will attract an increase of at least 1% per pupil compared to their 2017-18 baselines. Those schools that have been historically underfunded will attract up to 6% more, per pupil, compared to 2017-18—a further 3%, per pupil, on top of the 3% they gained in 2018-19—as we continue to address historic injustices.
Under the national funding formula, Calderdale schools have attracted an average increase of 2.2% per pupil this year. We have now published updated illustrative local authority and school level allocations for 2019-20. These show that schools in Calderdale will attract a 3.6% per pupil increase by 2019-20, compared to 2017-18. This represents an increase of £161 per pupil. Full details of formula allocations can be found here: https://www.gov. uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula -tables-for-schools-and-high-needs-2019-to-2020.
We do recognise schools have faced cost pressures in recent years, and we are providing extensive support to schools to deliver the best value from their resources. Further details of the support available can be found at http://tinyurl.com/HUTWG36.
This includes recommended deals on the things that schools buy regularly, including savings up to 40% on printers and photocopiers. You can find further information on national deals here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/deals-for-schools/deals-for-schools. On teachers’ pay, the largest area of schools’ expenditure, we will be supporting schools in England to implement the 2018 pay award with an investment of £508 million through a new Teachers’ Pay Grant.