Comprehensive Spending Review – what it means for our schools

Ray Barker, director of BESA, the trade association that works between the government and sector suppliers to raise standards in education looks at the October spending review and provides an appraisal of its impact on our schools.

The headline news from the spending review was the protection of a budget for schools which, with a baseline of £35.4bn this year, will rise to £39bn by 2014/15. The other positive aspects of the review include a £15.8bn capital fund over the spending review and confirmation that Sure Start services will be maintained in cash terms, although refocused on improving the chances of disadvantaged students.

Good news so far!

However, the concerns we have are firstly that the government’s stated £35bn figure does not accord with what we understand is being allocated to school budgets this year. The figure, we believe, is closer to £42bn. This leaves a £7bn uncertainty.

Michael Gove’s decision to do away with the specialist school premium of £130 per pupil year will certainly hit schools hard although Gove states that the equivalent total budget will still go into the money to be devolved to all secondary schools.

The £15.8bn budget ‘to maintain the school estate and rebuild and refurbish 600 schools,’ was another welcomed announcement. However, the funding will be spread over the next four years and has been committed to a select 600 schools. Compared with the budgets allocated by the previous government, to rebuild or refurbish all 30,000 primary and secondary schools, our expectation of state of the art, prevailing schools has to be modified.

In summary, it appears that we have fared better than many but we must await more information before we have a clearer picture of the future.
Ray Barker, director of BESA, the trade association that works between the government and sector suppliers to raise standards in education looks at the October spending review and provides an appraisal of its impact on our schools.

The headline news from the spending review was the protection of a budget for schools which, with a baseline of £35.4bn this year, will rise to £39bn by 2014/15. The other positive aspects of the review include a £15.8bn capital fund over the spending review and confirmation that Sure Start services will be maintained in cash terms, although refocused on improving the chances of disadvantaged students.

Good news so far!

However, the concerns we have are firstly that the government’s stated £35bn figure does not accord with what we understand is being allocated to school budgets this year. The figure, we believe, is closer to £42bn. This leaves a £7bn uncertainty.

Michael Gove’s decision to do away with the specialist school premium of £130 per pupil year will certainly hit schools hard although Gove states that the equivalent total budget will still go into the money to be devolved to all secondary schools.

The £15.8bn budget ‘to maintain the school estate and rebuild and refurbish 600 schools,’ was another welcomed announcement. However, the funding will be spread over the next four years and has been committed to a select 600 schools. Compared with the budgets allocated by the previous government, to rebuild or refurbish all 30,000 primary and secondary schools, our expectation of state of the art, prevailing schools has to be modified.

In summary, it appears that we have fared better than many but we must await more information before we have a clearer picture of the future.