Summary
This report sets out recent key policy developments relating to school funding including on school revenue budgets, capital funding for schools and the high needs block of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG). In particular, the report summarises the announcement by the Secretary of State for Education on 17 July, in which an additional £1.3 billion per year was promised for the schools budget until 2019/20, and sets out the potential implications for London’s schools. It also highlights the key lines set out in London Councils’ latest Do The Maths report on capital funding for schools, as well as summarising London Councils’ recent analysis on high needs block overspends across London. The report outlines further activity for London Councils to take forward in its ongoing lobbying work on school funding.
Recommendations
The Executive is asked to:
• consider the potential impact that the latest school funding announcement will have on schools across the capital
• discuss how London Councils should collectively respond to the challenges set out in the report on revenue funding, capital funding and high needs pressures
