Pupils fund could face probe by watchdog
Attainment-gap cash ‘being used by schools to close budget gaps’
A FLAGSHIP fund launched by the SNP in a bid to tackle the poverty gap in schools is facing a possible investigation by a financial watchdog.
The £120million Pupil Equity Fund was set up to provide cash to headteachers to help them tackle the so-called ‘attainment gap’.
Education Secretary John Swinney claimed the fund ‘unleashed a creativity and innovation in our schools which is absolutely breath-taking’.
But critics believe Pupil Equity Fund (PEF) cash has been used to make up for budget cuts and to supplement teachers’ wages. There is also a lack of data on where money has gone.
Last night, Scottish Tory education spokesman Liz Smith said: ‘It is absolutely essential that there is effective data made available to measure the value of PEF funding. Anecdotally, some heads are reporting notable successes in terms of improved outcomes, but there does not seem to be sufficient accountability.
‘PEF is crucial in terms of raising attainment. The SNP needs to be able to demonstrate its value, otherwise this will be just another broken promise from Nicola Sturgeon.’
A spokesman for watchdog Audit Scotland said: ‘We are not currently carrying out audit work on the PEF, but we are planning to carry out an audit on school education next year.
‘The scope of this will be decided early next year and it may include looking at the use of PEF funding.’
A Times Education Supplement Scotland probe in Octosimultaneously ber last year found one 13-class primary school spent PEF cash on higher salaries, with ten teachers reported to be on ‘management-level pay’.
Elsewhere, PEF cash was used to fund an artificial playing surface and to send pupils and parents on a weekend trip.
James McEnaney, a lecturer and freedom of information campaigner, said: ‘When you ask councils for the breakdowns, the vast majority don’t have them. One had them last year, but has stopped bothering to gather the data this year.
‘So if you wanted to know, for example, whether PEF has “unleashed” lots of great work or, maybe, just funnelled a lot of cash to private consultants, then it seems that the answer is: tough luck.’
Some information has been published about the PEF which has raised concern about the way the funds are being used. Last month a Scottish Government report revealed some cash went towards staffing costs.
Critics said the report provides evidence cuts to school budgets are leaving headteachers with little choice but to use the money for basic services.
The evaluation report into the Attainment Scotland Fund, which the PEF is part of, analysed responses from 22 of Scotland’s 32 councils. It said: ‘There were some concerns about a strong reliance on the funding to support staffing costs, and a belief authorities would not be able to sustain this level of investment without the additional funding.’
In August, research by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre showed council spending on education fell from £5.3billion in 2009-10 to £4.9billion in 2017-18.
Scottish Labour education spokesman Iain Gray said: ‘Budgets for our school classrooms have been slashed by £400million under the SNP in recent years, even accounting for the new fund.
‘It is therefore vital that how the fund is being spent is transparent, to see if it really is being used to close the attainment gap or is instead being used to plug gaps in council budgets.’
A EIS teaching union spokesman said: ‘It would be unacceptable for any local authority to utilise its PEF funding while
‘Looking at the use of funding’ ‘Support staffing costs’
reducing its core-funding to schools.’
A spokesman for council umbrella group Cosla said it did not hold information on PEF.
But he said PEF ‘guidance is available to all headteachers, and councils… [which is] followed throughout Scotland’.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘Use of this funding must be consistent with national guidance and grounded in evidence of what is known to be effective at closing the poverty-related attainment gap.’