In-year Admissions

Oral Answers to Questions — Education – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 1 December 2014.

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Photo of David Ward David Ward Liberal Democrat, Bradford East 2:30, 1 December 2014

What steps her Department is taking to make additional resources available to schools in areas that experience high levels of in-year admissions.

Photo of David Laws David Laws The Minister of State, Cabinet Office, The Minister for Schools

We have allowed local authorities to use a mobility factor in their local funding formulae to target additional funding at schools that had a high proportion of pupils entering in-year in the previous year.

Photo of David Ward David Ward Liberal Democrat, Bradford East

I am not sure whether the Minister has seen the figures for Bradford. If he has, he will know why I am asking this question. Recently, the Prime Minister said that

“there is no doubt that some communities face particular pressures… I think a fund that can more directly help those communities would be very worthwhile and that is what we are going to put in our manifesto”.

If there is a need right now, why should the money not be made available right now?

Photo of David Laws David Laws The Minister of State, Cabinet Office, The Minister for Schools

I would be very happy to talk to my hon. Friend about this matter. In 2014-15, Bradford local authority allocated almost £1 million to schools that experienced high in-year fluctuations in pupil numbers. In addition, it allocated £1.7 million to help schools provide new places to cope with population growth. In January, we will allocate further basic need funding across the country.