Mark Pawsey, MP for Rugby and Bulkington has joined with over 100 other MPs in writing to the Prime Minister, David Cameron, calling on the Government to implement the F40 funding formula proposals. The F40 campaign, which represents some of the lowest funded education authorities in England, has proposed a new model of funding which would ensure fair funding based on pupil need. The letter to the Prime Minister has been signed by MPs from all parties and all parts of the country, demonstrating the importance of this issue.
Under the current system, the ten best funded areas of England will receive an average grant of £6,297 per pupil this year, compared to an average of just £4,208 per pupil in the ten most poorly funded areas. Warwickshire receives on average £4,662 per pupil.
In the letter to the Prime Minister, MPs say:
“We believe this formula can help deliver a solution. We want the children in our schools to continue to have a broad range of subjects to study, good resources to use, well maintained buildings, reasonably sized classes and excellent pastoral support. Fairer funding is integral to all of this, and we urge you to deliver it.”
Speaking about local school funding, Mark said:
“Ensuring the highest quality of education for our children is a priority of all parents and of this government. Here in Rugby, we are fortunate to have a number of truly excellent secondary schools and sixth form colleges and I am determined to ensure they receive the financial support they need. The work being done by the F40 campaign, which I am strongly supportive of, will seek to end to the anomaly of sixth form students being funded at a lower level than pupils aged 11 to 16.”
Mark concluded:
“There have been historic issues related to school funding in Warwickshire and I hope that we will see some of the proposals from the F40 campaign adopted during this Parliament. The Government has indicated that they are supportive of this and I will continue to stand up for Rugby’s schools to ensure they get the funding they deserve.”