Education: Finance
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the national funding formula on educational outcomes in (a) rural areas, (b) Wiltshire and (c) other counties with lower levels of funding.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
The government recognises the essential role that small schools play in their communities, many of which are in rural areas. The schools national funding formula (NFF) accounts for the particular challenges faced by small schools in rural areas through the lump sum and sparsity factor.
In the 2025/26 financial year, the sparsity factor provides eligible primary schools up to £57,400, and all other eligible schools up to £83,400. In 2025/26, 64 schools in Wiltshire attract additional funding through the sparsity factor. In addition to this, all small and rural schools have benefited from the increase to core factors in the NFF in 2025/26, including the NFF lump sum set at £145,100. The lump sum provides a fixed amount of funding that is particularly beneficial to small schools, as it is not affected by pupil numbers.
The purpose of the schools NFF is not to give every school the same level of per pupil funding. It is right that schools with lots of pupils with additional needs, such as those indicated by measures of deprivation or low prior attainment, receive extra funding to help them meet the needs of all their pupils.
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