Increase in funding for Northumberland schools confirmed

Cllr Guy Renner-Thompson, cabinet member for children’s services, revealed there had been a net increase of just over £9 million when speaking at a Northumberland County Council cabinet meeting.

This included a 5.6% increase in funding for mainstream schools and an 8.8% increase in the high needs funding.

It comes after members of the council’s family and children’s services scrutiny committee expressed concern last week that the council’s schools were still suffering after decades of underfunding.

However, Cllr Renner-Thompson said the council’s funding position in relation to other councils had also improved.

He said: “We do now know the new funding formula amount and it’s good news. We have a 5.6% increase in our schools block grant funding and 8.8% in our high needs block.

“That’s a net increase of about £9.4 million, and that doesn’t include the extra support we’re getting for costs like heating. Support from Government is quite substantial.

“We used to be at the bottom of the table for schools funding, but we’re now around the middle which is a significant improvement. That’s followed through with the likes of the school buildings and the increased attainment level we’re achieving.”

A report presented to members asked the cabinet to approve the continued implementation of the national funding formula, while also transferring 0.25% of the schools block to the high needs funding, in line with a recommendation of the council’s Schools Forum meeting in November.

Council leader Glen Sanderson reiterated his administration’s commitment to SEND education. His comments came after the publication of the council’s first ever SEND forward plan.

Cllr Sanderson said: “I’m very keen to highlight the needs of our SEND pupils and treat them absolutely appropriately and individually, to the very best that we can.

“That includes the transportation of our SEND pupils. Where we have no facilities at the moment, we have to ask the children to travel to the nearest one and I know that our staff are working very hard to see if they can find, in mainstream schools, space that would mean those pupils would not have to travel those distances.”

The cabinet unanimously agreed to support the report’s recommendations.