Lichfield’s MP says a new consultation could spark the end of a lack of fairness in school funding.
Michael Fabricant has previously criticised the fact that schools in Staffordshire can receive less per pupil than other areas of the country.
But the Government has now confirmed a consultation into how funding should be tackled in future.
He welcomed the move in House of Commons discussion with Secretary of State Nicky Morgan, who said: “We want every school in England, including in Staffordshire, to get the funding it deserves, so that all children – whatever their background and wherever they live in the country – get a great education.
“The introduction of a national funding formula from 2017-18 will see the biggest step towards fairer funding in over a decade – ensuring that pupils get funding that genuinely matches their need. It will also ensure that pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds continue to receive significant additional funding to overcome entrenched barriers to their success.
“This is a key part of our core mission to extend opportunity to all children and provide educational excellence in all parts of the country – rural and urban, shire and metropolitan, north and south.”
Mr Fabricant said Staffordshire had regularly been in the bottom 20 of the school funding tables under previous Labour governments.
But he has urged people in Lichfield and Burntwood to have their say.
He explained: “We will only have ourselves to blame if we do not respond to the consultation.
“The long open wound where schools in other counties receive more funding per pupil than schools in Staffordshire can finally be healed. Geographical location and historical payments should not be a factor – funding should be needs based.
“At long last, we now have an opportunity to right this wrong.”
People can have their say on the proposals via the online consultation.
