Cherilyn Mackrory, Member of Parliament for Truro and Falmouth, has welcomed the news that schools in Truro and Falmouth will be getting more than £1.6million in additional funding as core schools funding will rise to its highest level in history.
The funding more than £59.6 billion nationally in 2024-25, is the highest ever level in real terms per pupil. Year-on-year, school funding is rising by over £3.9 billion in 2023-24, compared to 2022-23, and that comes on top of a £4 billion year-on-year cash increase last year. That is a 16% increase in just two years.
This funding covers day to day running costs in schools – for example, pay, school meals, and classroom materials. It covers both the funding for mainstream schools, and for “high needs” - for the children and young people with complex special educational needs and disabilities in both mainstream schools and specialist provision.
The funding also includes the additional funding to support schools with the costs of the 2023 teachers’ pay award. In July, the Government announced an additional £525m this year, to support schools with the pay award, with a further £900m in 2024-25. Unions have confirmed that this ensures the pay award is properly funded. In considering that, the Government has also taken account of increases to schools’ energy costs as well as the latest pay award for school support staff. It has also made no assumption that schools and trusts will need to draw on reserves.
Cherilyn said:
“Visiting schools across Truro and Falmouth and speaking to the pupils and staff is some of the work as Member of Parliament that I enjoy the most.”
“It is so important that we do all we can to support our schools and teachers in their work educating our children in their formative years. That is why I am delighted to see the Government give more than £1.6million to our schools here in Truro and Falmouth as part of an increase of this funding to its highest ever level nationally.”
“I look forward to seeing this funding drawn down and used to make a real difference in our education system in Cornwall.”