Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski urges PM to tackle school funding disparity
Under funded schools in Shropshire could receive an increase of six per cent per pupil under a new formula, the Prime Minister told Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski in the Commons today.
The government is introducing a new fairer funding formula so that schools that are underfunded compared to others are brought up to the same level.
Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski raised the issue at Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons today, when he asked the Prime Minister what the government proposed to do.
Watch Daniel Kawczynski at PMQs:
He said: "Children in Shrewsbury receive on average £4,350 per annum for education.
"Their counterparts in Hackney get over 50 per cent more at £6,590.
"These huge regional differences for schools is leading to real problems in Shropshire in supporting people with special education needs, and in the fabric of our school buildings.
"When will the Conservative government tackle these huge differences?"
In response Theresa May said the introduction of a new funding formula will address the issues.
Announced
She added: "We have been working to improve education for every child regardless of what part of the country they live in or what their background is.
"I made it clear earlier we are putting more funding into schools through to 2020, and we recently announced £250 million for the high needs budget, and extra for special education needs.
"The new funding formula distribution is distributing more fairly, and historically under-funded schools will receive an increase of up to six per cent per pupil through the formula.
"We are also allocating additional funding for remote schools who play an essential part in rural communities.
"There is a need for fairer funding and that is what we are doing."
