THE school building and refurbishments programme received a welcome short term boost in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, with an extra £700m being pumped into next year’s construction budget, taking it to £7bn. However, in 2024-25 the figure falls back to £6.1bn, a reduction possibly predicatedon hopes that inflationary pressures in the construction sector will have eased by then. For current spending, schools will get an extra £2.3bn in each of the next two years – a yearly rise of 4%, following the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement.

This new cash, said the Treasury, equates to an “average cash increase for every pupil of more than £1,000 by 2024-25, compared to 2021-22”.The Local Government Association said :“We welcome the additional £4.6bn inschool funding for 2023/24 and 2024/25, which will help provide a good education for all pupils at a time when schools are struggling with rising energy and foodbills, alongside the need to fund agreed pay rises, including for teachers. It is vital that a significant part of this additional funding is allocated to councils to supportchildren and young people with SpecialEducational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).”One former government adviser,however, cautioned: “Until we know what’shappening with energy prices, inflationand pay next year – we can’t be clearexactly how generous this is.”Paul Whiteman, general secretary ofleaders’ union NAHT, said additional cashwas “welcome” but “this doesn’t meanschools are completely off the hook”.

Geoff Barton of the Association ofSchool and College Leaders (ASCL) said itwas not clear where this “leaves specialeducational needs and post-16 provisionwhich are both facing extraordinarily difficult financial circumstances”.Academies minister Baroness Barrancommented: “I know trusts and schoolshave been really concerned aboutrising costs. I hope this helps take thepressure off.”Leora Cruddas, chief executive of theConfederation of School Trusts, said shewas “delighted”. She added: “Schools andschool trusts have the talent andexpertise to find innovative and costeffective ways to keep improvingeducation and supporting their localcommunities, and the announcementtoday will help them to plan ahead.”