Schools: Rural Areas
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the financial sustainability of small rural schools in England; and what steps her Department is taking to support schools facing financial pressures arising from falling pupil numbers and increasing operating costs.
Answered by Department for Education
We are making a significant investment in the core schools budget in the 2026/27 financial year, providing an extra £2.3 billion for schools. The National Funding Formula (NFF) accounts for the particular challenges faced by small schools in rural areas through the lump sum, set at £152,700 in 2026/27, and sparsity factor. In 2026/27, primary schools eligible for sparsity funding attract up to £58,600, and all other schools eligible for sparsity funding attract up to £85,200. For schools facing falling rolls, the lagged funding system gives them time to reorganise their staffing and costs before their funding is impacted. In addition to the core funding allocated through the NFF, the department has also allocated £155 million in Growth and Falling Rolls funding to local authorities in 2026/27.
The department’s ‘Maximising Value for Pupils’ programme helps schools and trusts make the best possible use of the available resources. The programme is available to all schools and trusts, including schools with falling rolls, to provide practical support and tools to help leaders identify and respond to pressures in their own context and help funding reach the classroom where it can have the greatest impact.
The department conducts an assessment of affordability at a national level as part of the Schools Costs Technical Note: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69a5c57e46e50eda5c46b5b5/Schools_costs_technical_note_2025_to_2029_.pdf.
Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →