Recommendation 30

HM Government · verbatim extract Accepted

The Government agrees that school funding should be targeted to schools and pupils who need it most. We have introduced the National Funding Formula (NFF) to ensure that funding is distributed on the basis of schools’ and pupils’ characteristics, and targeted to areas with the greatest numbers of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. As a result, schools that previously received lower funding than similar schools in other areas now receive more funding. We have also announced the biggest funding boost for schools in a decade, which will give every school more money for every child. As a result, funding is increasing by £7.1 billion between 2019-20 and 2022-23, taking total funding next year to over £52bn. This includes additional funding for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and for small and rural schools. The NFF is being implemented in stages. For 2021-22, the NFF determines circa £40 billion of school funding, and we remain committed to moving to a ‘hard NFF’ where all schools funding is distributed through the formula. We are working towards this as quickly as possible, in order to ensure that all schools receive funding on the same basis, regardless of where they are in the country. We disagree that a ‘levelling up’ funding uplift risks further entrenching disadvantage. The Government’s ambition to ‘level up’ the country is about ensuring that all parts of the country benefit from increased investment and improved opportunities. This includes ensuring that schools in all areas, including those serving disadvantaged communities, have the funding they need to provide an excellent education. The NFF has already directed additional funding to schools in more deprived areas, and we will continue to ensure that funding is targeted to where it is needed most.