HEADTEACHERS said that a £1.3 billion cash boost for schools may not be enough, despite Cotswold MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown calling it a “significant increase” in funding.

Secretary of State for Education, Justine Greening, earlier this week announced an extra cash injection for schools in 2018/19 and 2019/20.

This will mean an increase from £41 billion in 2017/18, to £42.4 billion in 2018/19 and £43.5 billion in the year after that.

It will amount to a minimum of £4,800 per pupil for every secondary school in the country. Currently, secondary schools in Gloucestershire receive just £3,767 per pupil.

The cash boost will come as a relief to all secondary schools and large primary schools in the Cotswolds, which were set to receive budget cuts in ongoing proposals for the National Funding Formula.

Headteachers previously said that the proposed cuts under the formula could have resulted in schools making teachers redundant, cutting subjects and increasing class sizes.

Cotswold MP, Mr Clifton-Brown (below), who has been campaigning for fairer funding for Gloucestershire schools, said he welcomed the announcement by the Secretary of State for Education.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard:

The MP said that funding per pupil will now be maintained in real terms with gains of up to 3 per cent per pupil in underfunded schools in the Cotswolds.

Following the Secretary of State’s statement in the House of Commons, he said: “This is a real moment of celebration for those of us who have been campaigning with the f40 Group for years for a proper fair funding formula.”

In reply, Ms Greening praised the MP for helping influence the government's decision: “[Mr Clifton-Brown] has done an outstanding job of being very clear with me about his local community concerns and also his desire to see fair funding. It is responding to colleagues like him that has led to the statement today.”

But headteachers at secondary schools in the Cotswolds did not seem to be jumping for joy.

Fairford’s Farmor’s School head Matthew Evans (pictured below) said he was “quite pleased” with the cash boost and said that “it starts to address some of the funding issues”.

He continued: “We were due to lose funding so it will mean we are able to maintain what we’ve got at the school rather than having to look at further savings.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard:

“Farmor’s is likely to get a small increase, but it still won’t be enough to keep with the cost of inflation.

“The recommendation is that teachers receive a one per cent pay rise, and it’s unlikely the additional cash will cover that cost.

“It’s a slight loss, but not enough for significant changes. We have already made a lot of savings because of reduction. It is relief we won’t be in another phase to look for more savings.

“While it was better than it was looking to be, it is not enough to protect education and services.”

Cirencester Deer Park School head Chiquita Henson (pictured below) however said she was still uncertain as to what the cash boost will mean for the school.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard:

She said: “Any real increase in school funding would be warmly welcomed. However, at present we do not have enough information to know what impact the proposal will have on our actual funding going forward.

“We understand there will be a further announcement in September which we hope will give us greater clarity and insight.

“We would hope then to be in a position to confirm any difference it may or may not make in 2018-19 and 2019-20.”

She said that despite the cash boost, she remained concerned about the National Funding Formula. If the formula is not adjusted, she said, funding in the county “will continue to be set at one of the lowest levels in the country”.