South East Cambridgeshire’s schools are set to receive a much-needed increase in funding. The government’s new National Funding Formula, announced earlier this month by the Education Secretary, should see budget uplifts up to 8.8% for primary and secondary schools across the constituency once the new formula is fully implemented. Under the new National Funding Formula secondary schools will attract a minimum of £4800 per pupil and primary schools will attract a minimum of £3,500 per pupil by 2019-2020.
There will be a transitional period during which Local Authorities, who currently distribute the funds, will receive an increase over the amount they plan to spend in 2017-18. During this two-year period, Local Authorities will still take the final decisions on distributing funding to schools within local areas, but the new National Funding Formula will provide for all schools to receive an increase in funding compared with their current baseline.
The government has further put out illustrative figures based on current pupil numbers, which show what the increase in funding for each school would be were the new National Funding Formula to be implemented today without a transition period. The figures are only illustrative as pupil numbers may change by the time the new National Funding Formula is fully implemented in 2019/20, but based on 2017/18 pupil numbers Bottisham Village College stands to receive the equivalent of £285,000 (5.7%) more, Ely College would gain £249,000 (5.3%), and Witchford Rackham Church of England School £42,000 (4%). Elsewhere, Robert Akenstall Primary School is set to get an additional £51,000 (5.2%), Soham Village College £374,000 (6.1%), St Andrew’s Church of England School in Soham £103,000 (7.3%), The Weatheralls Primary School £156,000 (8.8%), Witchford Village College £164,000 (4.3%), Burwell Village College £117,000 (7.7%), Ely St John’s £118,000 (7.5%), Ely St. Mary’s £101,000 (7.2%), Linton Village College £205,000 (5.4%), The Lantern Community Primary School £119,000 (8.1%), and The Shade Primary School £79,000 (5.9%).
Lucy Frazer, MP for South East Cambridgeshire, who has campaigned for a fairer funding formula for our schools for over three years is delighted with last week’s announcement. She said “for far too long Cambridgeshire schools have been underfunded and disproportionately funded in comparison to many other areas. The government’s new National Funding Formula promises to address some of these discrepancies.
On the journey to fighting for fairer funding, I have taken head teachers from the constituency to meet with the Secretary of State for Education three times, and have spoken separately with Justine Greening on a number of occasions to discuss their concerns. I have also raised funding issues twice with the Prime Minister. I always speak with schools about funding issues when I visit them, and also when they visit Parliament, and I have attended several meetings arranged by the Cambridgeshire Schools Forum. I have also liaised frequently with Cambridgeshire County Council.
I am pleased that our efforts are beginning to pay off and the new National Funding Formula is a welcome step in the right direction. This increase in funding is very welcome news. I will continue to lobby national government to make sure that the additional funding is delivered and will continue to make the case for our schools.”
For a full list of illustrative figures for all of South East Cambridgeshire’s schools, please see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-tables-for-schools-and-high-needs