School Funding 

I am listening carefully to representations from local schools on the financial pressures they are facing and have met with Nick Gibb, the Schools Minister, as well as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Education, Nadhim Zahawi, to raise these concerns. 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. Following a number of discussions which Gloucestershire MPs and others have had with Education Secretary, Damien Hinds, I’m pleased that he has responded by providing an additional £350m to support pupils with special needs, and that our County’s schools will benefit from this.