Boris Johnson Pledges £14bn For England's Schools In The Next Three Years

30 August 2019, 18:12 | Updated: 30 August 2019, 18:34

The government has pledged billions of pounds of extra funding for schools in England, answering calls from head teachers for more funding.

Billions of pounds have been pledged to England's schools after years of lobbying by heads and teachers for more cash.

Money will be invested in primary and secondary schools over the next three years, the government has announced.

School leaders welcomed the move but warned the "crisis is now" and extra funding is needed as soon as possible.

The overall schools budget is due to rise to £52.2 billion in 2022/23, the government said.

It is understood the current schools budget stands at about £45 billion.

The schools investment will be staggered, with much of the money coming at the end of the three-year period.

In 2020/21, schools will get a £2.6 billion rise, £4.8 billion in 2021/22 and £7.1 billion in 2022/23.

The money covers real-terms rises in school budgets due to factors such as inflation, increases in the pupil population as well as additional extra funding.

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

The Government said this means that the overall three-year funding package totals £18.9 billion.

It is understood discussions around teachers' pay are still ongoing.

Speaking to a group of children at Number 10 earlier, Mr Johnson said the investment "is to make sure that all schools in our wonderful country get more money, but particularly the schools that have fallen behind in their funding".

"Teachers change lives, they certainly changed my life and I hope they will continue to do a fantastic job in our country."

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), 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”.

“The crisis is now and extra funding is needed as soon as possible."

He added: "This will raise questions about what will happen in the event of a no-deal Brexit and the possibility of an early general election. Whatever the circumstances over the next few years, it must be a national priority to deliver the additional funding which has been pledged today."

School leaders and teachers have led a long-running campaign calling for more investment, warning that there is a severe shortfall in funding.

Previous analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) suggested that schools have faced budget cuts of eight per cent since 2010.

Angela Rayner, 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.