School Funding 

Gloucestershire Schools have been historically underfunded and Gloucestershire MPs have campaigned for many years for a Fairer Funding Formula which the Government has introduced. However, issues remain, particularly relating to the demands of High Needs Funding and I am listening carefully to representations from local schools on the financial pressures they are facing. 

Following a number of discussions which Gloucestershire MPs and others have had with the former Education Secretary, Damien Hinds, I’m pleased that he responded by providing an additional £350m to support pupils with special needs, and that our County’s schools will benefit from this.

I recently arranged for a group of local Headteachers from across primary, secondary and special education schools to meet with the Minister, Nick Gibb MP, to voice their concerns. This was a productive meeting and I will continue to work with our teachers to raise these issues. And I held a meeting with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Lizz Truss, to discuss this issue.