What measures is the Welsh Government taking to help schools that are facing the decision of having to reduce staffing numbers based on the school budgets for 2018-19?
The Welsh Government has a clear and long-standing commitment to schools funding. Despite the UK Government’s continued austerity programme and continuing real terms reductions to the budget for Wales, we have taken action to safeguard Local Authorities and schools to support front line services.
The Welsh Government does not fund schools directly. Local Authorities are responsible for schools funding in Wales and Councils set their spending priorities for the services which they provide, taking consideration of local needs and circumstances and all of the resources available to them.
In the context of the Welsh Government’s resource budget being almost £1 billion lower in real terms in 2019-20 than in 2010-11, it is important to recognise that not a single Welsh Local Authority will face a reduction of more than 0.5% in their core funding next year and within that overall amount, we have prioritised funding for front line schools and social care.
The Welsh Government works closely with Local Government in Wales and we have received welcome assurances from the Welsh Local Government Association that education remains a key priority and Local Authorities will prioritise front line schools delivery over the next two years.
Local Government’s overall delegation to schools has increased over time and is currently just over 84% at £2.142 billion delegated, against £2.543 billion gross budgeted schools expenditure. Each Local Authority must have a schools budget forum in place to engage with all schools in their area on school budget matters.
Once budgets for schools are set, under the local management of schools arrangements, school governing bodies and head teachers determine how they prioritise their delegated budgets and how they employ and deploy teachers within their schools. The overall level of reserves in schools has decreased and it is important that schools can make the most effective use of the funding available.
Whilst Local Authorities are responsible for schools funding, the Welsh Government continues to provide significant grant funding to schools, regional consortia and Local Authorities to raise standards and improve educational outcomes for learners.
Our plan of action for education, Education in Wales: Our national mission sets out our plans for continued reform of the education system until 2021. It aims to raise standards, reduce the attainment gap and deliver an education system that is a source of national pride and confidence. We have aligned our grant funding to our priorities and our investment will build on our achievements to date.
This year we are making available £133 million through the Education Improvement Grant for Schools to support the Foundation Phase and improvements in teaching and learning. We are providing more than £187 million over the next 2 years through the Pupil Development Grant to help our most disadvantaged learners.
I have also committed to invest £36 million to support smaller infant class sizes, targeting those schools with the largest infant class sizes first, where teaching and learning needs to improve. The Welsh Government has also committed to invest £100 million to raise school standards and more than half of this investment is prioritised towards improving teaching and learning.
Most recently, I announced an additional £14 million available to schools to help with small scale repair and maintenance costs incurred during the year. This investment will benefit all schools and students and help alleviate some of the small pressures on individual school budgets.