Six policies to better link school funding to improvement

From the perspective of a school policy specialist, these are the key policies that any new government will need to focus on if we are to see the desired improvements in schools during the next parliament.

Fix SEND funding

I’m approaching this from a mainstream school perspective, but the SEND funding crisis is also visible in the specialist sector. 600,000 children and young people now have an education, health and care plan (EHCP), an increase of 26% year on year, leaving many local authorities with large deficits in their SEND accounts. This difference is only increasing.

It is important to investigate why more and more young people need specialist care and the financial resources to receive appropriate care. Local authorities simply do not provide adequate care, and children with significant needs are placed inappropriately (and expensively).

Meanwhile, younger students are not assessed with sufficient urgency. Earlier intervention and support can mean lower costs in the future.

Find ways to finance capital investments

The school property is in a deplorable condition. Building Schools of the Future (BSF) may have had its problems, and decentralized formula capital may not have been properly targeted, but taking it without an existing alternative was reckless at best.

For schools in the rebuilding program, work was slow as funds were diverted to new basic needs facilities and free schools.

Investing in capital works could boost economic growth, but an ambitious government should consider other ways of implementing programs. For example, responsible authorities could be allowed to take out loans and more emphasis should be placed on selling surplus land for housing or other investments.

Go back to three-year financing settlements

It is obvious. We are living far too long year after year, even after comprehensive spending reviews. Long-term budgeting is really hard; in fact, I have moved to continuous monitoring and forecasting to provide flexibility in directing resources.

This question is simple. Choose your financing level and ensure that salaries and other inflation are covered. As financing in real terms is no better than in 2010, this would only be a holding position, but at least it would be clear. (And if the new government finds more, that would be great.)

Minimize the use of additional grants

Under the previous Labor government I really didn’t like the mass of Standards Fund grants. They were withdrawn and implemented using primary means. The Coalition Government has pledged to do the same – until Pupil Premium funding becomes available. Since then, there has been an increase in the number of grants, each with its own rules.

Schools should be adequately funded through the national formula and performance expectations (e.g. closing the disadvantage gap, providing free school meals, etc.) should be clear. This can be monitored or checked using existing monitoring. With three-year settlements, schools would be well-positioned to use their funds to make long-term decisions.

Let’s consider the broader educational workforce

It’s not just about teachers; Recruiting and retaining staff is a challenge for the wider education workforce. Pay and working conditions are less clearly defined and there is an increasing need for teaching assistants to support the growing number of students with EHCP.

Meanwhile, other employers have caught up with the concept of flexible working, and those who traditionally wanted fixed-term work can find better-paid and flexible work elsewhere.

A framework for pay and career development up to level 6 qualifications would be beneficial, especially in conjunction with teaching traineeships.

I have recently been involved in some good work on competencies/qualifications for SBL and site/estate work. This should continue to help schools identify the skills needed for non-teaching roles.

No tricks

Short-term initiatives often distract from the fundamentals. The latest initiative diverts attention from schools, with funds and resources going to schools for a short period of time.

A focus on the school’s core purpose, with clear performance expectations and stable funding, should drive school improvement.

This article is part of a series of sector policies in the run-up to the next general election. Read all the others here