Michael Gove announces details of education funding for 2012-13
Education Secretary Michael Gove has announced details on education funding for 2012-13 this week, highlighting that the Government will continue with the current methodology for funding schools, the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), through 2012-13. He has also confirmed that the underlying school budget will be kept flat in terms of cash per pupil for 2012-13. He also said that the actual level of each school’s individual budget will depend on local decisions about how best to meet needs and priorities, and it will be likely to vary. The Secretary of State also gave details of funding for 16-19 provision and of capital funding, including allocations for basic need, maintenance and devolved formula capital.
In total, £800 million of basic need funding will be available for local authorities to provide school places where they are needed in their area in all categories of publicly-funded schools. A further £686 million of maintenance capital will be provided to support the needs of the schools that local authorities maintain and for the Sure Start children’s centres in their area.
From 1st November 2011
IFS reveals cuts in spending on education
This week has seen the Institute for Fiscal Studies reveal that public spending on education in the UK will fall by 13% between 2010-2011 and 2014-2015. The IFS has indicated that this “represents the largest cut in education spending over any four year period since at least the 1950s”. Although all areas of education spending are expected to suffer cuts (spending on further education to be reduced by 40% and on schools 1%) spending on early year’s services and youth services are expected to be severely hit with a 20% reduction in spending. Cuts to early year’s services are of particular concern and raises questions over how early years priorities such as the EYFS will be delivered.
The research also indicates that only the poorest schools will experience increases in funding which will be received from the pupil premium. It has been calculated that the reduction in funding will return education spending as a share of national income back to 4.6% by 2014–15.
In response to the IFS findings the Department of Education have indicated that school’s budgets are increasing by £3.6 million over the next four years. They have signaled that this will protect per pupil funding levels and includes the new Pupil Premium, which provides an extra £488 for every child on Free School Meals. In relation to early years services the Department has defended its position and pointed to the increased entitlement to 15 hours per week for all three and four year olds which has now been extended to all disadvantaged two year olds.