Michael Gove announces over £2 billion for more school places
Education Secretary Michael Gove has issued a written ministerial statement on funding allocations.
Education Secretary Michael Gove has today (18 December 2013) announced £2.35 billion to create more school places up to 2017. This is in addition to the £5 billion that will have been spent on new school places by 2015.
It is the first time councils have had 3-year allocations of funding to spend on school places. It means they can plan ahead and ensure every child has a school place.
In a written ministerial statement issued today, Mr Gove announced that 260,000 new school places have been created to date, and that many more were on their way.
He also announced:
- Sebastian James’s review of progress since his original report on education capital
- the dedicated schools grant for 2014 to 2015
- further information on the £150 million of capital funding to support universal free school meals
Education Secretary Michael Gove said:
This government’s overriding priority for capital investment is to ensure every child has a place at school. Demographic pressures have put strain on schools in many parts of the country. That is why we have more than doubled funding for new places to £5 billion in this parliament. By May 2013, this investment had already helped to create an additional 260,000 school places with more still to come. Today I am announcing an additional £2.35 billion to support local authorities to plan and create new school places that will be needed by 2017.
Notes to editors
- Read the written ministerial statement.
- Read the spreadsheet with all capital allocations (basic need and universal infant free school meals).
- Read the technical note explaining today’s allocations.
- Read Sebastian James’s progress update on his capital review.
- Read further information on the dedicated schools grant.
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