Telford schools set for £6 million boost as previous funding was at an 'unjustifiably low level'

Education bosses on Telford & Wrekin Council said the increase would follow a new funding formula and is a welcome change after funding in the town had been held at an "unjustifiably low level" by the Department of Education.

Under new plans, no school across the borough will receive a reduction in funds in 2018/19.

The seven per cent increase would represent the 13th largest out of 152 local authorities in England.

Councillor Shirley Reynolds, cabinet member for education and skills, said: "It is good news for our schools and provides some vindication for our long-standing belief that mainstream school funding for Telford & Wrekin has previously been held at an unjustifiably low level.

"The majority view of schools was that we should move towards the national funding formula, on the basis that this was the likely destination for school funding and that for most schools the difference between the NFF and the existing local funding formula was modest – less than one per cent for over 60 per cent of schools.

"The additional funds for Telford & Wrekin also enable us to adopt a higher minimum funding guarantee per pupil than the minus 1.5 per cent that the Department for Education has had in place for some years.

"A minimum funding guarantee set at 0 per cent means that no school will experience a decrease in funding per pupil."

Cabinet to make the final decision

The actual allocations to schools can only be finalised once the confirmed data is released, a report on the potential changes said.

The plans, which have been recommended for approval, will go before Telford & Wrekin's cabinet on Thursday.

The amounts received by schools will also depend upon a possible "top-slice" from mainstream school budgets to support high needs.

For that reason, the cabinet is being asked to approve the principles behind the local funding formula for schools, rather than the precise amounts allocated to each school.

Campaigners claimed that Shropshire's schools would lose a total of £13.4m in funding by 2019 if changes are not made.

• MORE: Claims changes to school funding will leave Shropshire pupils worse off

Unions said that it would lead to a shortfall of £394 per pupil and an equivalent loss of 360 teachers across Shropshire.

The government had proposed to re-allocate school budgets according to a new national funding formula and not increase funding per pupil in line with inflation.

Shropshire Council agreed to the changes earlier this year.

Under the new national funding formula, primary schools will get minimum of £3,500 per pupil, with secondary schools getting £4,800.

In Shropshire Council's area it is worth an extra £3.7 million over two years.