Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the National Audit Office's report of 2 July 2021, School funding in England, and the finding that between 2017-18 and 2020-21 the average per-pupil funding in the most deprived fifth of schools fell in real terms by 1.2 per cent, while per-pupil funding in the least deprived fifth increased by 2.9 per cent, whether his Department has plans to increase the funding of education in disadvantaged areas.

In the 2021/22 financial year, the National Funding Formula (NFF) is providing a total of £6.4 billion (17%) targeted at schools with higher numbers of pupils with additional needs, including deprivation. A further £2.5 billion of pupil premium funding, which has a specific focus on raising the attainment of deprived pupils, is provided on top of that.

In setting the NFF, the Department was careful to consider funding for deprivation, both the deprivation funding channelled through the NFF, and the funding provided through the pupil premium. It is right that schools with more pupils with additional needs, such as those indicated by measures of deprivation, low prior attainment, or English as an additional language, should receive extra funding to help ensure that schools are supported to meet the needs of all their pupils. For example, a primary school pupil who is eligible for free school meals will attract a total of £2,380 for their school, through the NFF and pupil premium combined; and a secondary pupil £2,255.

Further information about the NFF and allocations for the 2021/22 financial year can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-tables-for-schools-and-high-needs-2021-to-2022. The NFF for the 2022/23 financial year will be published shortly.