Additional £1.3bn for core school funding announced

The government has announced a significant new investment in UK school funding that aims to increase the amount of cash going to every school.

The Department for Education has confirmed a £1.3 billion injection for core school funding, with £416 million to be provided in 2018-19 and £884 million in 2019-20, on top of the core school budget set in the last spending review. It means school funding will be £2.6 billion higher in 2019-20 than was the case in 2017-18.

This will be accompanied by the introduction of a new national funding formula, to be introduced in 2018 to help prevent similar schools receiving variable levels of funding depending on their geographic location.

With the introduction of the new formula, the basic amount of per-pupil funding will rise by 0.5 per cent annually over the next two years, with gains of up to three per cent available for schools that are currently underfunded. Funding for pupils with additional needs will remain protected, as proposed in a consultation published in December 2016.

Additionally, the PE and sports premium for primary schools will increase from £160 million to £320 million, meaning all primary schools will receive an increase in their PE and sports funding in the next academic year.

Finally, it was confirmed that support will be available to school leaders to help them focus their resources, improve outcomes for pupils and promote social mobility. This will include offering individual schools access to expert advisors for tailored guidance.

Education secretary Justine Greening said the newly announced measures "will mean an increase in the basic amount that every pupil will get, protected funding for those with high needs and will ensure every local authority is in a position to give schools a cash increase through the new formula".