Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will review the decision not to release any new funding for schools.

We have made a significant investment in our schools by providing an additional £1.3bn across 2018-19 and 2019-20, on top of previous spending plans. This means funding per pupil for schools and high needs will be maintained in real terms for the next two years, as the independent IFS have confirmed.

The additional investment in core schools funding will be funded in full from savings and efficiencies identified from within the Department’s existing budget. This has required some difficult decisions, but we believe it is right to prioritise core schools funding to maximise the proportion of the budget that is allocated directly to frontline head teachers.

Core funding for schools and high needs will rise from almost £41 billion in 2017-18 to £42.4 billion in 2018-19 and £43.5 billion in 2019-20. This represents a 6% increase.