DfE ministers have faced more pressure from their fellow Conservative MPs over school funding.
This afternoon’s education questions in the Commons were the latest to see backbenchers from across the House raise concerns about the financial pressures on schools.
Education secretary Damian Hinds insisted his department will put forward a “strong case” for education ahead of the government’s spending review.
Quick read: School funding is a ‘national emergency’, MPs warn
Mind the gap: School face £5.7 billion shortfall, heads warn
Analysis: DfE is in a ‘tricky position’ over school funding
Rebecca Pow, Conservative MP for Taunton Deane, told Mr Hinds: “Urgently, teachers are coming to me increasingly about the funding pressures they are under because we are putting more and more on their shoulders.
“I have just had seven schools in the Tone Valley Partnership and a raft of schools with the Redstart Trust coming to me to highlight their funding pressures so please will the minister meet with me again to understand what they are facing and to discuss it.”
Mr Hinds replied that over the last two years Somerset schools had seen a 5.9 per cent increase in per pupil funding, but that he would be happy to meet her.
Tory Sir Desmond Swayne, of New Forest West, said: “Amounts per pupil are being top sliced in order to meet a deficit in the high needs block, so the amount actually going into the school accounts per pupil isn’t nearly as impressive is it?”
Mr Hinds said: “There is pressure on high needs budgets, actually the high needs budget has gone up from £5 billion to £6 billion over the last few years, but there are still those pressures as he rightly says and that is why it was so important to secure the additional £250 million that we announced at the end of last year.”
One MP asked Mr Hinds if he would donate a raffle prize for a fundraiser being held by a school in his constituency to raise money “for the essentials”.
Labour’s Phil Wilson, who represents Sedgefield, said: “Since real terms increase in funding isn’t coming from his department, can the secretary of state, would he care to contribute a raffle prize to help raise money to ensure local people continue to receive the education they deserve?”
Mr Hinds did not respond directly to the request for a raffle prize, but said: “It is of course exceptionally important that schools are properly resourced... Of course it’s right that we make sure that through the national funding formula we make sure that schools are properly resourced for the education that they need to deliver.”
Labour’s Rushanara Ali, MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, called on Mr Hinds to “stand up” to the chancellor and prime minister and “seek additional funding that’s much needed for our children around the country”.
Mr Hinds replied: “Of course we are going to be putting forward a strong case for education on which so much else depends both in our society and in our economy.”
