Damien Moore welcomes 3.7% funding boost for Southport schools

Southport schools will enjoy a 3.7% increase in funding for the next school year as the Government confirmed its commitment to increasing opportunity for children.

Primary and secondary schools in the town have been allocated £50,205,018 for 2020/21 as they look forward to welcoming pupils back in September after the Coronavirus outbreak.

Southport MP Damien Moore MP said: “The Government is more committed than ever to its mission to level up opportunity for young people in Southport and across the UK.

“This significant investment in our schools will continue the mission to transform the lives and prospects of a generation.

“During the Coronavirus outbreak, I have been proud to see that our schools here in Southport have demonstrated the essential role they play in our community. They have remained open, teaching the pupils of key and essential workers, among others. They have also been offering online learning to children at home, providing valuable pastoral care to pupils and their families and even volunteering to produce PPE equipment.

“Education is vital for our children’s future life chances and I am sure that school staff, pupils and parents will be excited and looking forward to returning to class and making up for lost time this September.”

Last year, Gavin Williamson announced the biggest cash boost to school funding in a decade, worth a total of £14.4 billion over three years. Schools are already benefiting from a £2.6bn increase this year, which will rise to £4.8bn in 2021-22 and £7.1bn in 2022-23, compared to 2019-20. In addition, the Government continues to fund the recent increase in pension costs for teachers, worth £1.5bn a year.

Gavin Williamson has now published provisional school and high needs funding allocations for 2021-22, helping schools to plan their future funding during this challenging period.

He said: “We are levelling up school funding: delivering resources where they are needed most, while ensuring that every school is allocated at least 2% more per pupil. On average, schools will be attracting over 3% more per pupil next year.

“In addition, the minimum per pupil funding levels will ensure that every primary school receives at least £4,000 per pupil, and every secondary school at least £5,150 per pupil, delivering on the Government’s pledge to level up the lowest funded schools.

“We want every school, no matter their circumstances or location, to have the resources to deliver the high-quality education that all parents expect.

“Our additional investment also includes a further increase of £730m in high needs funding next year, to support children with special education needs and disabilities (SEND), on top of the £780m increase local authorities are receiving in 2020-21. That is an increase of 10% and brings the total high needs budget to over £8bn.

“Every local authority will receive at least 8% more per head of population, compared to this year, with some authorities receiving up to 12%. This vital extra resource will help local authorities to manage their cost pressures in this area, while enabling children with the most complex SEND to access the education that is right for them.”

Between March and July 2020 schools have been able to claim additional funding for exceptional costs incurred due to Covid-19, such as additional cleaning required due to confirmed or suspected Coronavirus cases and increased premises costs to keep schools open for priority groups during the Easter and summer half term holidays. The Government has also announced further detail of the ‘catch up’ package for the next academic year, worth a total of £1bn, to help support children and young people to catch up after the recent period of disruption to their education. This includes a ‘Catch Up Premium’ worth £650m to help make up for lost teaching time for all pupils.

Gavin Williamson said: “I will continue working with teachers up and down the country to deliver this Government’s unwavering commitment to build a world class education system.”

See also.

Blocked but now you want my vote?

https://www.otsnews.co.uk/blocked-now-want-vote/

Terry Jones leads Southport Conservatives to new depths
https://www.otsnews.co.uk/terry-jones-leads-southport-conservatives-to-new-depths/

‘Moore’ or less for Southport?
https://www.otsnews.co.uk/moore-or-less-for-southport/

Ainsdale Conservatives – Reality behind the Spin

https://www.otsnews.co.uk/ainsdale-conservatives-reality-behind-the-spin/

Southport family threatened with “Legal Action” by Tory leader

https://www.otsnews.co.uk/southport-family-threatened-with-legal-action-by-tory-leader/

Total Southport tory collapse under the leadership of Ainsdale’s Terry Jones
https://www.otsnews.co.uk/total-southport-tory-collapse-under-the-leadership-of-ainsdales-terry-jones/

Tory wants help to “get got” his message out
https://www.otsnews.co.uk/tory-wants-help-get-got-message/

Things that WACA and their Tory bosses would prefer that you never discovered