Every pupil will benefit from record £2.2bn boost, says PM
BORIS Johnson yesterday praised the effort made by schools to get through the coronavirus pandemic as he unveiled a multi-billion pound funding boost.
The Prime Minister promised the £2.2billion cash injection will enable children to benefit from a “superb education” no matter where they live.
He confirmed that secondary schools will get a £150 per pupil funding boost this year, while primaries will see a £250 increase.
That means per-pupil school funding now sits at a “record” £5,150 in secondaries and £4,000 in primaries, the PM said.
Speaking on a visit to the Discovery Primary School in Kings Hill, Kent, Mr Johnson said: “We’re putting a record amount into schools, I think about a £14.5billion package, and we’re fulfilling the promise we made in our manifesto to make sure every secondary school pupil gets at least £5,000.
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“A £30,000 starting salary for every teacher.
“It is wonderful to be here talking to pupils and teachers, many of whom have kept going throughout the pandemic. You’ve some classes back at 97 per cent and I really congratulate them on that.”
Labour said analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) reveals the extra money will still leave spending per pupil three per cent below its 2010 level.
Gavin Williamson, Education Secretary, announced more details of the one-off £1billion catch-up fund to help students who have missed out on months of classroom teaching during the pandemic.
He told BBC Breakfast that the funding equates to an extra £80,000 per secondary school with 1,000 pupils and £16,000 for an “average, small” primary school.
He said: “It’s about making sure teachers have the ability to do an assessment on where pupils have fallen behind, what they have missed out on, how we get the right types of interventions.”
He said schools will be able to “lay on” extra support outside normal hours. He added: “How the schools spend that money is very much at their discretion.”
Leora Cruddas, CEO of the
Confederation of School Trusts, said: “It is very important that there is also an increase in funding for special education needs – where the sector has felt significant cost pressures.
“It is important that education funding is not left behind during the response to the global pandemic.”
Judith Blake, chair of the LGA’s Children and Young People Board, said described the funding as “good news”, but called for the
Government to pledge extra funds for those with special educational needs and disabilities (Send).
She said: “Councils need urgent clarification that there will be additional funding for Send this year, at least to meet the unprecedented rise in children and young people needing support.”
Shadow education secretary Kate Green cited the IFS data, saying: “Additional funding is necessary and welcome, but it was this Conservative government that cut school budgets for the first time in a generation, and only began to provide additional investment after tireless campaigning from parents, school staff and the Labour Party.”
She added: “Schools will still be worse off in 2023 than they were in 2010 under these plans, as a direct result of the Conservatives’ decision to cut school budgets.
“Far more must be done for every child to have the opportunity to reach their full potential.”