31 May 2002
A funding strategy group set up by the Department for Education and Skills, with representatives from councils and teachers' unions, has produced a model intended to ensure that funding of schools is more transparent.
But its conclusions, unveiled at a conference in London on May 24, failed to satisfy councils, parents and teachers, who claim some authorities are vastly underfunded compared with others.
Key features of the new system, which now goes to ministers, include separate funding blocks for schools (about 88% of the current local schools budget) and LEAs.
Each year, LEAs will be required to publish a 'transparent account' so that parents can compare school funding with the government's assessment. In extreme cases, Education Secretary Estelle Morris will have the power to force an LEA to pass more money to its schools.
So far the question of area cost adjustments, which recognise councils with disproportionate recruitment and other costs, have proved to be a stumbling block.
The strategy group will continue discussing this area, and hopes to develop an index of additional educational need to recognise cases where the basic funding entitlement of pupils should be boosted.
Andrew Baxter, chief education officer in Cambridgeshire, was among those disappointed with the conclusions so far. At present, Cambridgeshire does not qualify for extra money, but neighbouring counties such as Hertfordshire do. 'There seems to be some retreat from a determination to make it fairer,' he said.
Alan Parker, president of the Society of Education Officers and a member of the group, said LEAs that believed they were losing out should wait until new formulas were published. 'The opportunity for things to be perceived to be fair is not actually there yet,' he said.
Helen Williams, director of the DfES's school organisation and funding group, told the conference: 'Virtually every local authority thinks it has a claim for a larger share of the funding cake. It's mathematically obvious that we're not going to be able to meet every LEA's perception of its needs.'
PFmay2002
