Minister quizzed on the future of teacher recruiting

HALTON’S MP has sought clarity from a Government minister over how teachers will be recruited and kept after claiming most secondary schools in his constituency will lose money through a planned new funding formula.

Derek Twigg spoke to Minister For School Standards Nick Gibb in the House Of Commons during a debate on teacher shortages.

Mr Twigg said that following the announcement of a proposed funding formula, ‘all but one’ of the secondary schools in his constituency will lose money as a result.

The proposed national funding formula could be implemented from 2018 to 2019 and will lead to more than 10,000 schools in England gaining investment, including more than 3,000 receiving an increase of more than 5%.

The Department For Education plans also outline that no school will face a reduction of more than more than 1.5% per pupil per year or 3% per pupil overall

Education Secretary Justine Greening said that the proposed reforms will ‘mean an end to historical unfairness and underfunding for certain schools’.

She added: “We need a system that funds schools according to the needs of their pupils rather than their postcode, levelling the playing field and giving parents the confidence that every child will have an equal opportunity to reach their full potential.”

But in Parliament on Monday, December 19, Mr Twigg asked Mr Gibb on how the proposals will help to recruit and retain teachers.

Mr Gibb said: “The national funding formula has been introduced to ensure that we have a fair funding system.

“We shall be consulting on that fair funding system over the next 14 weeks, and I am sure that the hon. Gentleman will send in his representations.”

A consultation on the planned changes will run until Wednesday, March 22.