Boris Johnson pledges £14bn boost to schools over three years after ‘funding crisis’ warnings

Headteacher unions have urged ‘caution’ until details are set out in spending review

Headteachers march on Downing Street to demand extra cash for schools in September 2019 (PA)

Schools in England are set to be given a long-awaited cash boost after Boris Johnson has pledged to invest more than £14bn in to the sector over the next three years.

The announcement comes after education unions and grassroots campaigners have warned of a worsening “funding crisis” which has left schools starved of resources and forced to make staff cuts.

After years of campaigning for adequate funding for cash-strapped schools, the prime minister has promised a £2.6bn rise for 2020-21, £4.8bn for 2021-22 and £7.1bn for 2022-23.

An extra £700m will also be allocated for children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) from 2020 amid concerns these pupils have been left without suitable provision.

The cash injection comes after a Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) analysis found that schools have faced budget cuts of 8 per cent since 2010.

School leaders welcomed the move but warned the “crisis is now” and extra funding is needed as soon as possible – rather than April next year.

They also urged “caution” ahead of the detail being set out in the chancellor’s spending review announcement on Wednesday.

Now every secondary school will receive a minimum of £5,000 per pupil next year, with every primary school getting a minimum of £4,000 from 2021-22, the government has said.

In addition to the funding pot, £1.5bn each year will be put into teachers’ pensions.

Announcements on new funding for sixth forms and further education colleges are expected tomorrow – including more details on teacher pay and tackling poor behaviour in schools.

It comes after a confidential briefing document from the Department for Education (DfE) leaked this week suggested that teachers will be encouraged to “use reasonable force” against unruly pupils.

However, the investment is likely to be seen as a popular move ahead of a possible general election. And it comes just weeks ahead of a planned protest by thousands of headteachers over funding cuts.

Mr Johnson said: “When I became prime minister at the start of the summer, I promised to make sure every child receives a superb education – regardless of which school they attend, or where they grew up.

“Today I can announce the first step in delivering on that pledge – funding per pupil in primary and secondary schools will increase, and be levelled up across the entire country.

“We should not accept the idea that there can be ‘winners or losers’ when it comes to our children’s futures. That’s why we are providing additional funding now and for the future for every school, with those historically underfunded receiving the greatest increase.

“My government will ensure all young people get the best possible start in life. That means the right funding, but also giving schools the powers they need to deal with bad behaviour and bullying so pupils continue to learn effectively.”

Earlier this week, John McDonnell said chancellor Sajid Javid’s spending review next week is a “panic measure” designed to pave the way for a snap election.

Mr McDonnell warned that any spending boost for public services will last only long enough to get the Tories through an election campaign.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “We are pleased on behalf of schools and students that the government has listened to our repeated warnings about the scale and severity of the funding crisis, and has committed to desperately needed additional funding for education over the next three years.

“We will be studying the figures in detail as soon as this information is available to understand exactly what the additional funding covers and how this commitment will be implemented. The crisis is now and extra funding is needed as soon as possible.”

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “After five years of disappointment on funding, I’m sure the prime minister would forgive us only giving this a cautious welcome, whilst we await the full details to come from the chancellor’s statement on Wednesday.

“It would be disastrous if the detail didn’t live up to the £14.4bn headline. We hope that this announcement is as good as it looks.”

He added: “There’s no extra money for schools this year, so that’s still a big problem for schools whose budgets are already at breaking point.”

Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said: “This schools funding announcement should really come with a note of apology; the government has for so long derided our campaign and said there was no problem with education funding.

“Nevertheless the funding announced today is very positive.”

But Mr Courtney warned that funding is not enough to reverse all of the cuts already made.

He said: “For too long government has funded education on the basis of how little they can get away with.

“This has caused real damage to children and young peoples’ education as class sizes have risen, teaching assistants have been sacked and teachers have not had the resources to do their job.

“A generation of pupils have missed the education they should have received because of austerity. Today’s announcement will not compensate them for this loss.”

Angela Rayner, Labour’s shadow education secretary, said: “This comes nowhere close to meeting the prime minister’s pledge to reverse the Tories’ education cuts, let alone matching Labour’s plans to invest in a national education service.

“Instead, it is yet another con trick by a politician who has shown time and again that you just can’t trust his promises.

“With the chancellor only committing to a one-year spending round, schools are being told to wait years for desperately needed funding, and the truth is that the government’s figures would prove an absolute fantasy after the damage done by a disastrous no-deal Brexit.”

Gavin Williamson, education secretary, said: “We owe it to the next generation to ensure our education system is world class, and that nothing stands in the way of our young people having the best choices in life, whatever course they take.

“This £14bn funding increase, the largest cash boost in a generation, means our schools can continue to raise standards and build an education system that boosts productivity, improves social mobility and equips children with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the bright future that lies ahead.”