‘Levelling up’ – what it really means for school funding report on Johnson’s plans

Government must provide fair funding for our schools most disadvantaged children

The Education Policy Institute released their report ‘Levelling up’ – what it really means for school funding today (2 Aug). 

Under the PM’s proposal to ‘level up’ school funding, the average pupil eligible for free school meals would attract an additional £56, while the average pupil not eligible for free school meals would attract an additional £116. #DisadvantageGap pic.twitter.com/MzXLDRfPCf

— Education Policy (@EduPolicyInst) August 2, 2019

The analysis shows Boris Johnson’s education spending pledge would be more than twice as expensive as previously stated, benefitting schools in affluent areas the most.

Lib Dem Education Spokesperson Layla Moran MP has said:

“Truly “fairer funding” is needed to ensure support goes to the schools that need it the most.

“During Mr Johnson’s leadership campaign he promised to raise minimum per-pupil funding to £5,000 a year in secondary schools and £4,000 in primaries. Analysis by the EPI showed that this would mean increased spending of only around £306 million and £50 million respectively per year.
Mr Johnson has also pledged to increase school funding by £4.6 billion a year by 2022/23, but a group of teachers’ unions and local authorities have said an additional £12.6 billion will be needed by then to reverse cuts and provide a “standard of education that society expects”.

“Mr Johnson’s promise to ‘level up’ funding clearly comes nowhere near what is required to ensure all our schools can provide a quality education to all our children. This minimum guarantee will help less than half of schools in mainly affluent areas, when schools across the country are sacking supply staff and asking parents for help buying the basics.
 
“Liberal Democrats demand better for our schools. We would reverse school cuts with an emergency cash injection, so that every child can access to a high-quality education no matter where they live.”

Angela Rayner MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, responding to a report on Boris Johnson’s plans for school funding, said:

“Schools across England have been hit by years of Tory cuts and need investment to give every child the best possible start in life, not just a lucky few. The last Prime Minister failed to end austerity and it’s clear the new one won’t do any better.

“The next Labour government will invest in every school, with a genuinely fair funding formula that allows every child to flourish in education.”

A Department for Education spokesperson said:

“The Prime Minister has made clear that we will increase minimum levels of per pupil funding in primary and secondary schools and return education funding to previous levels.

“We will be announcing more details in due course and, until then, any assumptions are purely speculative.”

The NEU together with ASCL, NAHT and the f40 group of lowest-funded local authorities are calling for an additional £12.6bn by 2022/23 in order to reverse these devastating cuts and provide a standard of education that society expects.