800m smooths funding changes

Education secretary Charles Clarke also set out the Government's framework to the funding system for the next two years. He said it would address concerns including differences in funding increases between local schools in similar circumstances; headteachers and governing bodies unable to plan budgets on a long-term basis with confidence; turbulence caused by changes to the way specific grants were allocated; cost pressures on individual schools; the level of spending by local authorities on central education budgets compared with individual school budgets; and concerns over sustainability of workforce reform.

The Department for Education and Skills said that with regard to the sustainability of workforce reform, which will see support staff given a greater role in classrooms from September, the Government would ensure that 'the reforms to the school workforce to tackle workload and raise standards are sustainable'. It added, 'Maintaining the standards fund at its current level will help to ensure schools receive the core funding they need to make progress on this.