Greening sets out measures to replace ‘outdated’ school funding system

Education secretary Justine Greening has confirmed details of a new fairer funding system for schools in England.

It aims to put an end to the “historic postcode lottery” that saw huge differences in funding between similar schools in different parts of the country.

The National Funding Formula (NFF) is set to ensure that, for the first time, funding is based on individual needs and characteristics of every school in the country.

The publication of the final NFF for 2018-19 and 2019-20 follows two major consultations, generating more than 26,000 responses, and Greening’s announcement in July of an additional £1.3 billion boost to the front line school budget.

Greening said: “Standards are rising across our school system and a fairer funding formula will ensure we can build on that success. It will replace the outdated funding system which saw our children have very different amounts invested in their education purely because of where they were growing up.

“That was unacceptable and we have now made school funding fairer between schools for the first time in decades.

“It’s a long overdue reform and our £1.3 billion extra funding means every school can gain.”