In a 2016 investigation the NAO found that on the basis of the Department for Education’s planned funding at that time, schools would need to find significant savings to counteract cost pressures caused mainly by rising pupil numbers and increases in staff costs.
Since then Government has increased funding for schools and provided additional support to help schools improve their financial sustainability, but in October the PAC reported that the new national schools funding formula put in place by DfE has seen a real terms shift in funding from already more deprived areas and schools to less deprived ones.
The Committee will question senior officials at the Department for Education and the Education and Skills Funding Agency on whether DfE is distributing funding and supporting schools in a way that improves financial sustainability, including whether it:
- has increased school funding in real terms and in a way that takes account of cost pressures;
- is distributing funding for schools in line with its objectives; and
- is supporting schools effectively to improve their financial positions.
If you have evidence on any of these questions, please submit it here by Wednesday 1 December.