Julian Knight MP has welcomed the news that more than a score of local schools are set to receive a funding increase as part of the Government’s latest investments in education.
Whilst every school across the country will attract increases in line with inflation or higher, in a letter Gavin William, the Education Secretary, listed 15 primary and seven secondary schools which will particularly benefit from moves to ensure that every school will receive its proper funding allocation of £3,750 and £5,000 per pupil respectively.
He was writing in response to a letter from Julian and Dame Caroline Spelman, the MP for neighbouring Meriden, demanding investment of “billions, not million” in the school system.
Ministers also intend to raise the primary school per-pupil funding base to £4,000 next year, as well as introduce a national funding formula which will help to prevent the inequalities created by Labour’s system, which saw Birmingham schools receive considerably more money than those in Solihull.
They also intend to boost the starting salary for teachers by £6,000 to attract the best and brightest graduates to the profession.
Primary schools listed as being particularly benefitting are:
- Blossomfield Infant and Nursery School
- Coppice Junior School
- Greswold Primary School
- Oak Cottage Primary School
- Our Lady of Compassion Catholic Primary School
- Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic Primary School
- Peterbrook Primary School
- Sharmans Cross Junior School
- Shirley Heath Junior School
- St Alphege Church of England Infant and Nursery School
- St Alphege Church of England Junior School
- St Augustine's Catholic Primary School
- Ulverley School
- Valley Primary
- Widney Junior School
Secondary schools listed as particularly benefiting are:
- Alderbrook School
- Langley School
- Light Hall School
- Lode Heath School
- Lyndon School
- St Peter's Catholic School and Specialist Science College
- Tudor Grange Academy, Solihull
Commenting on the news, Julian said:
“This is very good news for Solihull. Our teachers and pupils already do fantastic work, but have for too long struggled with the unfairness of the old funding formula. This news represents not only a cash boost for every school but also a commitment to delivering a fairer national funding plan which will ensure every school gets the money it needs.”
