NAHT calls for school funding reforms

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has further clarified its position on reforms to school funding with a collection of essays discussing what a revised funding formula could look like.

The publication, entitled ’Fair Funding – getting it right: a new national funding formula for schools’, comes in anticipation of the government’s consultation on the school funding in spring and aims to asses: the risks and opportunities; the pupil characteristics that need to be reflected; the role of local authorities; how disadvantaged pupils will be supported; the transition to a new formula; and the political imperatives behind it.

Russell Hobby, general secretary of the NAHT, claims in the reports introduction that major reforms is ‘on balance, the right thing to do’, but urges caution, as detailed planning is needed to make sure it is implemented correctly.

Discussing the NAHT’s view on reform, Hobby said: “We think, though not all agree, that time has come for schools’ budgets to go directly to schools. They can buy in services from local authorities, many of whom have earned the loyalty of their schools through the high quality of their work. Local authorities themselves could receive some funding directly to fulfil their statutory responsibilities.

“The government will need to manage expectations. The most poorly funded areas at the moment are looking at the best funded areas and hoping to achieve their level of funding. This is not feasible and there are good reasons why some deprived areas receive significantly higher funding, reasons which will remain after any reform. The uplift for the poorest funded areas may therefore be less than they hope and the government could find itself in the unenviable place of pleasing no one.”