The government announced details of the allocation of schools capital for 2006-07 to 2007-08. It said that from an 'inadequate base' of under 700 million in 1996-97, government support for capital investment in schools had risen to 4.9 billion in 2004-05, and would be 5.5 billion in 2005-06, 5.8 billion in 2006-07, and 6.3 billion by 2007-08.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 30 November 2004, columns 21-24WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard
Date: 2004-Nov
A study found that chief education officers in England had broadly negative views on the impact of revised funding arrangements for schools, introduced in 2003-04. Respondents acknowledged and welcomed the increased stability for schools. However, one of their main concerns centred on the overriding of the discretionary elements within their local formula by the minimum funding guarantee.
Source: Mary Atkinson et al., School Funding Issues: Main findings from the CEO survey, National Foundation for Educational Research (01753 747281)
Links: Report (pdf) | LGA press release
Date: 2004-Oct
Between 1994-95 and 2003-04, total education and training expenditure by central and local government in England rose from 36,284 million to an estimated 49,131 million (real terms) - an increase of 35 per cent.
Source: Education and Training Expenditure since 1994-95, Statistical Bulletin bweb03-04, Department for Education and Skills, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Bulletin (pdf)
Date: 2004-Oct
The Northern Ireland Executive began consultation on new arrangements for school funding, with the aim of replacing the existing formulae with a common funding formula system that was more equitable and transparent.
Source: Proposed Common Funding Scheme for the Local Management of Schools, Department of Education/Northern Ireland Executive (028 9127 9391)
Links: Consultation document (pdf) | NIE press release
Date: 2004-Sep
The government gave further details of spending plans for education and children's services. Early years and childcare spending would increase by 769 million between 2004-05 and 2007 08; funding for further education, skills, and to develop the 14 19 phase, would rise by 1.5 billion; and government spending on higher education would increase by around 2 billion. Revenue funding for schools would increase by some 3.5 billion overall between 2005 06 and 2007 08.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 16 September 2004, columns 153-157WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard
Date: 2004-Sep
An audit report examined the background to concerns about a 'funding crisis' for schools. It looked at the impact of measures designed to address these concerns, and to bring stability to schools' funding for 2004-05 and 2005-06. It concluded that local councils needed to challenge schools more effectively about financial and resource management; and the government needed to recognise that 'one size fits all' funding measures could discourage good financial management.
Source: Education Funding: The impact and effectiveness of measures to stabilise school funding, Audit Commission (0800 502030)
Links: Report | Audit Commission press release | LGA press release | NASUWT press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Jul
The government set out details of the school funding settlement in England for 2005-06. The minimum guaranteed funding increase for schools would be 4 per cent per pupil for secondary schools, and 5 per cent for primary and nursery schools, where pupil numbers remained the same. No secondary school would receive less than 3.9 per cent more per pupil, and no primary school less than 4.9 per cent, regardless of changes in pupil numbers.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 13 July 2004, columns 55-59WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | DfES press release | NASUWT press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Jul
The government said that, as part of the 2004 Spending Review, education spending in the United Kingdom would be 5.6 per cent of gross domestic product in 2007-08, an increase from 5.4 per cent in 2004-05. Total education spending for England would be 63.9 billion in 2007-08, a rise from 56.5 billion in 2005-06. But one teachers' union said the government had failed to give any commitments on the balance between the numbers of teachers and support staff, or even the maintenance of the number of teaching posts.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 18 March 2004, columns 37-40WS, TSO (0870 600 5522) | Press release 18 March 2004, National Union of Teachers (020 7388 6191)
Links: Hansard | DfES press release | NUT press release | LGA press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Mar
A discussion paper on the future of education, governance and funding called for closer collaboration between all education institutions in an area, in order to meet the needs of individual children and young people in diverse communities with different needs. This would be supported by a policy, financial and governance regime that 'empowered' heads, principals and their governing bodies, and gave them the autonomy to run their institutions efficiently and effectively.
Source: Councils and Schools - Driving Improvement, Local Government Association (020 7664 3000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary
Date: 2004-Mar
Responding to a report by a committee of MPs, the government accepted that mistakes had been made in the implementation of school funding changes in 2003-04.
Source: Government Response to the Committee's First Report: Public Expenditure - Schools' Funding, Second Special Report (Session 2003-04), HC 377, House of Commons Education and Skills Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response | MPs report
Date: 2004-Feb
