Primary Education: Rural Areas
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support small village primary schools with low pupil numbers to remain financially stable.
Answered by Georgia Gould
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 challenges faced by small schools in rural areas through the lump sum and sparsity factor.
In the 2026/27 financial year, the sparsity factor provides eligible primary schools up to £58,600, and all other eligible schools up to £85,200. This funding recognises that some schools are necessarily small because they are remote and do not have the same opportunities to grow or make efficiency savings as other schools.
In addition to the sparsity factor, all small schools will benefit from the increase to core factors in the NFF in 2026/27, including the NFF lump sum set at £152,700. This provides a fixed amount of funding that is particularly beneficial to small schools, as it is not affected by pupil numbers.
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