Title

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

Spending Review: Council-run schools to be consigned to history

Local authority-run schools will be a ‘thing of the past,’ the chancellor announced in his Spending Review today.

Local authority-run schools will be a ‘thing of the past,' the chancellor announced in his Spending Review today.

George Osborne said moving control of schools from local councils would save £600m on the Education Services Grant. 

He also announced the Government would phase out the ‘unfair' school funding system, replacing it with a new national Funding Formula from 2017.

Mr Osborne said: ‘We will phase out the arbitrary and unfair school funding system that has systematically under-funded schools in whole swathes of the country.

‘Under the current arrangements, a child from a disadvantaged background in one school can receive half as much funding as a child in identical circumstances in another school. 

‘In its place, we will introduce a new national funding formula.

'I commend the many MPs from all parties who have campaigned for many years to see this day come.'

Mr Osborne also pledged to deliver another 500 new free school and university technical colleges. 

 

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

SEND reforms fail to account for transport costs, say MPs

By Lee Peart | 06 March 2026

Government special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms fail to take account of burgeoning home-to-school transport costs for local authorities,...

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

Ministry accused of 'letting councils down'

By Dan Peters | 05 March 2026

A chief executive has accused the Government of ‘letting councils down’ by failing to provide certainty about funding for duties starting from May.

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

Why we must respond to online risks

By Rachael Wardell | 05 March 2026

Adults, practitioners, parents and policy-makers must engage actively with the challenges and risks smartphones and social media pose to children and young p...

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

Reset or risk for SEND?

By William Burns | 05 March 2026

The Government’s long-awaited White Paper on major reforms to England’s SEND system is committed to significant intervention, pledging not only to fix this i...

Popular articles by Laura Sharman