Budget 2017: Funding announced for 110 additional free schools

The chancellor has confirmed that funding will be allocated for free schools and grammar schools in this year’s budget.

As announced in the 2017 budget, the government plan to extend the free schools programme by investing £320 million to help fund up to 140 schools.

This is to give parents a “greater choice in finding a good school for their child”.

Thirty of these schools are expected to open by September 2020 and will be located where they are most needed.

In addition to this, £216 million will be invested in school maintenance to improve the condition of the school estate. The budget report states that this will take the total investment in school condition “to well over £10 billion”.

School transport will also receive funding as the government plan to provide children who receive free school meals with free transport to attend the nearest selective school in their area.

Chancellor Philip Hammond also confirmed that a new “T-level” technical qualification is set to be launched in order to invest in technical education.

However, the budget did not include any money to help schools that are worried about the national funding formula or currently have a tight budget.