PM’s £14bn cash boost for schools
Education sweetener as he prepares for snap election
Did they ask a few tough questions, Boris?
BORIS Johnson last night unveiled a £14billion funding injection for england’s schools as he stepped up preparations for a snap election.
The Prime Minister said the money would ensure every child receives a ‘ superb education regardless of which school they attend or where they grew up’.
The new cash, which covers the next three years, will be the centrepiece of the Government’s comprehensive spending review due to be set out by Chancellor Sajid Javid next week.
no 10 said last night it would mean that per-pupil funding would rise at least in line with inflation at every school in the country, with many receiving much more.
The move is designed to prevent a repeat of the 2017 election campaign when the Tories were caught flat- footed by head teachers and parents complaining about school funding cuts.
Mr Johnson said last night the cash would be followed up by new powers for teachers to deal with disruptive pupils. In addition to the funding pot, £1.5billion will be put into teachers’ pensions each year.
The move could also include a pay rise for teachers, but it is unclear whether separate funding would be provided for this.
The Prime Minister said the package was designed to ‘level up’ educational achievement across the country, with ‘historically underfunded’ schools getting the biggest boost.
He added: ‘ We should not accept the idea that there can be “winners or losers” when it comes to our children’s futures. My Government will ensure all young people get the best possible start in life.’
Government sources denied the announcement was designed to clear the way for a snap election in October. But the announcement of a three-year package in a spending review that covers only one year is highly unusual. And senior Tories acknowledge they cannot risk going to the polls before they have acted to tackle the funding crisis in schools.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said schools would need to see the detail before reaching a verdict, but added: ‘We are pleased on behalf of schools and students
that about the additional funding the to the to our Government funding scale desperately crisis, repeated and and for severity education warnings has has needed committed listened of over Paul of the Whiteman, the next national three general years.’ Association secretary of five Head years Teachers, of disappointment said: ‘After on funding, I’m sure the Prime Minister would forgive us only giving this a cautious welcome whilst we await the full details.
‘On the face of it, this investment appears to repair some of damage that has been done to the education system since the cuts began in 2010.’
He added: ‘There’s no extra money for schools this year, so that’s still a big problem for schools whose budgets are already at breaking point.’
no 10 said the investment delivers on Mr Johnson’s pledge to increase school funding by £4.6billion above inflation.
The overall schools budget is due to rise to £52.2billion in 2022/23, the Government said. It is understood the current schools budget stands at about £45billion. The funding boost will be staggered, with schools getting £ 2.6billion more in 2020/21, £4.8billion in 2021/22 and £7.1billion in 2022/23.
The money covers real-terms rises in school budgets due to factors such as inflation, increases in the pupil population as well as additional extra funding. The package also includes £700million for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
education Secretary Gavin Williamson said it was ‘the largest cash boost in a generation’, adding: ‘We owe it to the next generation to ensure our education system is world class.’
Labour education spokesman Angela Rayner described the announcement as a ‘con trick’.
Previous analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies suggested schools have faced budget cuts of 8 per cent since 2010.
‘Budgets are at breaking point’