Stuart Anderson MP is delighted that schools across Wolverhampton South West are set to benefit from an extra £2 million next year. Across Wolverhampton, the dedicated schools grant will stand at £350 million - including £50 million for high needs and £28 million for early years.
To recognise the higher costs faced by schools, the Government is investing an extra £2,203,079 in Wolverhampton and almost £60 billion across England in 2024-25, the highest ever level in real terms. This equates to an average of £5,300 per primary school pupil and £6,830 per secondary school pupil in 2024-25, up from £5,200 and £6,720 respectively in 2023-24. It means that core schools funding in England will increase by over £1.8 billion in 2024-25 compared to the previous financial year.
High needs funding will increase by an extra £440 million to over £10.5 billion in 2024-25, a 4.3% increase compared to this year, and an increase of over 60% over the past 5 years. Every local authority will receive an increase in funding of at least 3% per head (of their population aged 2-18). This funding is being allocated to local authorities and used to fund special schools, in addition to providing mainstream schools with additional resources to meet the needs of pupils with complex SEND. Meanwhile, pupil premium funding will rise to over £2.9 billion in 2024-25, an increase of £80 million from 2023-24. This represents a 10% increase in per pupil rates from 2021-22 to 2024-25 to support schools in disadvantaged areas to raise educational outcomes for the pupils who need it most.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: “Our schools and our teachers are better than ever – and it’s so important that as standards continue to rise, so does our support for schools. That is why boosting school funding was the first thing I did as Education Secretary, and why I will continue to make sure our brilliant schools and teachers have the tools they need to make sure every child receives a world class education. I know costs for schools continue to be high, but ensuring schools are funded at their highest level in history in real terms will give parents and schools the confidence that education continues to be the top for this Government.”
Stuart Anderson MP said: “I am delighted that schools across Wolverhampton are set to benefit from an extra £2 million. This brings our total investment in our city’s education providers to over £350 million, giving every child the best start in life. This support will ensure our city’s children benefit from a world-class education that equips them with the skills they need to excel in life and have a brighter future.”