CENTRAL Devon MP Mel Stride has welcomed the Government’s final decision on the new National Funding Formula for schools and high needs pupils. 

Figures released last week show all 43 schools within his constituency will be better off, with the most rural schools set to receive as much as 20 per cent extra funding from 2018/19. 

Within the Mid Devon area the biggest beneficiaries are Cheriton Fitzpaine, Thorverton, Morchard Bishop, Lapford, Yeoford, Cheriton Bishop and Newton St Cyres primary schools, which will receive between 10.2 per cent and 21.5 per cent more funding from 2018/19 compared to 2017/18.

Earlier this year Mr Stride was concerned that some of the larger schools in Central Devon could lose out as the Government sought to address the issue of small rural schools being underfunded – an issue he urged Schools Minister Nick Gibb to resolve during a meeting in March. 

Mr Stride said: “This Government inherited a national funding formula – the amount schools receive per pupil – that was heavily skewed towards urban areas and ignored the costs and challenges associated with running small rural schools. 

“I’m delighted that the final decision fixes the decades-long scandal of rural schools being underfunded while ensuring no school will be worse off. 

“Across the 43 schools in my constituency the average increase in funding from 2018/19 will be 3.9 per cent and pupils with the highest educational needs will also see their funding increase.”

Across Devon, schools stand to gain £7.5 million more from the Government’s proposed new funding formula.

Alan Quick