Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will change the funding for school children who receive their education outside of their own area, in order to enable the funding to follow the pupil.

We are committed to fairer school funding, where the money our schools receive matches their pupils’ needs. At the Spending Review, alongside protecting the schools budget in real terms, we announced our intention to deliver this by introducing a national funding formula for schools in 2017. That will mean children attract funding based on their individual characteristics, and not where they live, or whether the schools they attend are situated in other local authority areas. The amount of money following each pupil will be clear, and funding levels across the country will be transparent and fair. These are significant reforms and we will consult extensively in the New Year to ensure we get them right and to provide clarity and security for schools.