Fiona Bruce praised for campaign work during education reform speech

In the House of Commons yesterday Justine Greening, Secretary of State for Education, announced funding reforms that will see cash distributed according to the individual needs of each school.

She said the new ‘national funding formula’ (NFF) was needed to address ‘historic inequities’ in funding.

During her speech, Ms Greening praised Ms Bruce and other Cheshire MPs for their work raising the concerns of schools and campaigning for a fairer school funding formula.

She said: “My honourable friend, the Member for Congleton (Fiona Bruce) and other Cheshire MPs have been tireless campaigners on behalf of their local communities and schools, and I have appreciated the comments, suggestions and proposals.

“They carried weight, which is why they have been reflected in the final funding formula that I have set out today.”

Under the new NFF the minimum per pupil funding level in 2019/20 is at least £3,500 for primary school pupils and £4,800 for those at secondaries.

Ms Bruce, MP for Congleton, said: “I thank ministers for meeting senior headteachers from my constituency, and for responding to their principal request, which is that to be truly fair to pupils across the country, and to cover school costs properly, school funding should include a minimum amount per pupil, wherever they live.

“I also thank Ministers for allocating £4,800 per pupil from 2019, which is exactly the amount that my headteachers recommended.

“Does that not show that this Government are not only listening, but acting?”

The proposals were first laid out in a consultation at the end of last year.

According to the Department for Education, there will also be a £110,000 lump sum for every school to help with fixed costs.

This is in addition to an extra £26 million to rural and isolated schools to help them manage their unique challenges.

Schools will also receive extra cash for additional needs, such as deprivation and low prior attainment of pupils.