SCHOOLS in Harlow and across England are set for a giant cash boost, as the Prime Minister announced a package of reforms for schools, colleges, SEND pupils and teachers’ pay. The reforms follow key recommendations by the Education Select Committee, chaired by Harlow MP, Robert Halfon.

Over £14 billion will be invested in primary and secondary education between now and 2022/23. Every secondary school pupil will receive a minimum of £5,000 next year and every primary school pupil will receive at least £4,000 by 2021-22.

The Conservative Government has confirmed schools in Essex will receive 4.88% more funding per pupil next year, as part of the recent multi-billion investment in primary and secondary education.

New funding will level up per-pupil-funding across the country, including £700 million for children with special educational needs. Further education and sixth form colleges will receive £400 million additional funding to train and teach our young people the skills they need for well-paid jobs in the modern economy.

The Government has also announced the biggest reform to teachers’ pay in a generation. Salaries for new teachers are set to rise to £30,000 by 2022-23. Increased contributions to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme will be fully funded.

As Chair of the House of Commons Education Select Committee, Robert Halfon MP has long-highlighted the funding pressures faced by schools and colleges and called for this multi-billion pound funding increase in the Committee’s tenth report, ‘A Ten-Year Plan for Education’.

The Committee has also called for major investment for special educational needs education, launching an inquiry into this in April 2018.

Robert Halfon MP said: “This is brilliant news for our schools, colleges and teachers across the country.

“Our Committee has long pressed for a major shake-up of education funding, and this multi-billion pound package will ensure that schools can plan for the future.

“It’s also great news for our hardworking teachers. The Government has committed to fully funding increased contributions to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme, as well as promising more money for new teachers.”

YH will be interviewing headteachers across Harlow to see what they think of the news.