Significant increase in school funding

FOR too many years schools across our area have received less funding per pupil than the national average and I have campaigned to end the historically unfair formula which placed Stockport in the lowest funded Local Authorities.

Stockport is currently ranked 138th out of 150 in terms of funding for our local schools.

So, after raising the issue in Parliament and encouraging people to participate in the recent fairer funding consultation, I’m delighted that the Secretary of State for Education, Justine Greening MP, has announced extra funding for our schools to support the transition to a new national funding formula from 2018.

This means that, from next year, an extra £1.3bn per year will be added to school funding for the two years leading up to the next spending review.

The day after the announcement, I met with Justine Greening to discuss the benefits of this increased investment to schools in Cheadle.

The Government is going to ensure that over the next two years, every secondary school will attract at least £4,800 per pupil, which represents a significant increase in funding across Stockport.

This isn’t just a temporary solution either, as the Secretary of State has made clear that no school will lose any funding as a result of the new formula.

In fact, the Government are going to go even further by providing a 0.5 per cent per pupil cash increase for every school in 2018-19 and 2019-20, with underfunded schools seeing increases of up to 3pc in both years.

In my view, it is right to prioritise core schools funding even as the Government continues the vital task of repairing the public finances.

This increased investment in our schools will be funded in full from efficiencies and savings from within the Department for Education’s existing budget and not from higher taxes or more debt.

It’s important that every penny in the education budget which can go directly to the front line does so.

I’m pleased that local people, parents and teachers have had their voices heard and I will continue to work to ensure that our children get the world-class education they deserve.