With Vale schools facing a funding crisis from the Welsh Government, the UK Government has announced a £14bn investment in education which will see Wales receive £1.24bn in additional funding.
Vale MP Alun Cairns, who has been leading a campaign for fair funding for the Vale of Glamorgan, says that he is delighted that the UK Government has provided an opportunity for local schools to benefit from a cash increase.
Mr Cairns said, “In recent months I have been speaking to schools and teachers locally about the challenges they face due to the poor funding settlement the Vale of Glamorgan receives from the Welsh Government. While this battle continues, I am delighted that they should now receive a cash boost as a result of the Prime Minister’s significant investment in education which I hope will help to ease pressures.”
He added, “Schools across Wales will now receive a major funding boost of £1.24 billion. As a top priority for people right across the UK, I now urge the Welsh Labour Government to spend this new money on delivering better education, giving every child in Wales the opportunity to reach their full potential. This way the vision set out today by the Prime Minister can benefit pupils and teaching professionals across both Wales and the UK.”
The announcement delivers on the Prime Minister’s pledge when entering Downing Street to increase school funding by £4.6bn above inflation, levelling up education funding and giving all young people the same opportunities to succeed – regardless of where they grow up or go to school.
As part of this, every secondary school in England will receive a minimum of £5,000 per pupil next year, with every primary school getting a minimum of £4,000 from 2021/22. Through the £1.24bn funding for Wales, the Welsh Government has the opportunity to match this.
The deal includes £700 million extra for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in 2020/21, so every pupil can access the education that is right for them, and none are held back from reaching their potential.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:
“When I became Prime Minster at the start of the summer, I promised to make sure every child receives a superb education - regardless of which school they attend, or where they grew up. Today I can announce the first step in delivering on that pledge – funding per pupil in primary and secondary schools will increase, and be levelled up across the entire country.”
He continued, “We should not accept the idea that there can be “winners or losers” when it comes to our children’s futures. That’s why we are providing additional funding now and for the future for every school, with those historically underfunded receiving the greatest increase. My government will ensure all young people get the best possible start in life. That means the right funding, but also giving schools the powers they need to deal with bad behaviour and bullying so pupils continue to learn effectively.”
The additional funding comes ahead of next week’s Spending Round, and gives schools the certainty they need to plan their budgets.