Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

National Funding Formula

Monday 23 November 2020 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The national funding formula distributes funding based on school and pupil characteristics.
  • Despite budget pressures due to covid, funding for the lowest-funded schools has increased to ensure they have the resources for an outstanding education.
  • The Minister assured that there will be no discrimination against grammar schools in condition improvement grants.

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Questions & Answers

Q1 Edward Leigh Con Gainsborough
Education
Context

The question addresses concerns about equitable school funding under the national funding formula amidst budget pressures due to the pandemic.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that schools receive equitable levels of funding under the national funding formula despite budget pressures due to covid, and how this ensures every school has the resources needed for an outstanding education?

Answer from Gavin Williamson

The national funding formula distributes funding based on school and pupil characteristics. Despite budget pressures due to covid, we have increased funding for the lowest-funded schools to ensure every school has the resources it needs to deliver an outstanding education, with at least £5,150 per pupil next year for all secondary schools and £4,000 per pupil for primary schools.

Answered
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Q2 Edward Leigh Con Gainsborough
Education
Context

The headmaster of Caistor Grammar School has contacted the MP about the poor condition of the school buildings despite producing excellent results. The question addresses concerns about discrimination against grammar schools in condition improvement funding.

Question

The headmaster of Caistor Grammar School has contacted me. This school produces, for kids from all sorts of backgrounds, some of the best results in the east midlands, but its buildings are in a shocking state. He has been refused a condition improvement grant despite temporary and mobile classrooms classified as grade A by the Secretary of State's Department. Will the Secretary of State assure me that there is no discrimination against grammar schools in national funding formula negotiations? I often find that while education is wonderful, the buildings are peeling.

Answer from Gavin Williamson

I can absolutely assure my right hon. Friend that there will be no discrimination shown against grammar schools. I encourage him to be in contact with the school as the next round of condition improvement funding is due in January next year. We are spending more on the condition and improvement of our schools, with an extra half a billion pounds allocated to support schools and their rebuilding.

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