Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to publish criteria and guidance, so schools understand how funding decisions are made, what evidence is required, who makes those decisions, and how consistency is ensured.

The department publishes a range of guidance each year to support schools and local authorities in understanding how funding is allocated, available at the links below.

National funding formula policy papers: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-for-schools-and-high-needs-from-2025.

National funding formula tables and technical notes: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-tables-for-schools-and-high-needs-2026-to-2027.

The schools operational guide: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pre-16-schools-funding-local-authority-guidance-for-2026-to-2027/schools-operational-guide-2026-to-2027.

Information on the dedicated schools grant calculations: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2026-to-2027.

The High needs funding operational guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-needs-funding-arrangements-2026-to-2027/high-needs-funding-2026-to-2027-operational-guide.

Early years Funding guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-funding-2026-to-2027.

16 to 19 Funding guidance: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-education-funding-guidance.

Capital funding guidance: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69c2a9363ed0546101e0dbdd/Condition_funding_methodology_and_spend_guidance_2026_to_2027.pdf.