Today’s announcement that schools in South Cambridgeshire will receive £20.5 million extra funding in 2015 / 2016 will address a historic unfairness in the way school funding is allocated.
It is the second largest in the country and, at £275 per pupil, represents a 7% increase for schools in Cambridgeshire.
The money is part of a proposed £350m boost to the most underfunded local authorities across the UK and is seen as a huge step towards removing the unfairness in the school funding system.
South Cambridgeshire MP, Andrew Lansley, said: “The school funding system we inherited from Labour was unfair – it was a postcode lottery resulting in pupils attracting very different levels of funding without good reason.
“As part of our long-term economic plan, we are determined to deliver the best schools and skills for our young people so they can get the skills they need to get on in life.
"Importantly, this is a very significant step towards a new national funding formula, which will make permanent a commitment to move away from the unfairness we saw for so long, and which persisted for 13 years under the previous Labour government.”
To ensure funding is allocated fairly and in a way that reflects the needs of pupils and schools, the minimum funding level will be based on five pupil characteristics:
- A basic per pupil amount.
- Pupils who are from deprived backgrounds.
- Pupils who have been looked after.
- Pupils with low attainment before starting at either their primary or secondary school.
- Pupils who speak English as an additional language.
The government is also setting a minimum lump sum for each school on top of its per-pupil funding and a minimum funding level for small schools that are essential to serving rural areas.
You can contact Andrew at his constituency office
Andrew Lansley CBE MP
153 St Neots Road
Hardwick
Cambridge
CB23 7QJ
T 01954 212 707
E lansleya@parliament.uk
W Andrew Lansley
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