New school funding formula published for Jersey

Schools which educate children with learning difficulties and do not speak English as their first language could receive more funding

Jersey schools teaching children with special educational needs could receive more funding under a new budget system.

The government of Jersey published its new school funding formula, which sets out the allocated costs to each school.

An independent review, which took place in 2020, recommended the States adopted a "simpler" formula to offer more "equitable and flexible budgets".

It said the new formula would focus on the context of each school to allocate funding more accordingly.

But now the system will look at whether schools that are teaching more children with learning problems, or who do not speak English as a first language, need more support.

'Too complicated'

Minister for Children and Education, Deputy Inna Gardiner, said changes should make the funding process easier.

She said: "Teachers and headteachers have told us that the current formula is too complicated, too outdated, and often leads to additional requests for funding.

"This is the first time that we have published the school funding formula, to share with islanders how we use our financial resources to best support children and young people."

Before the review, all schools received the same level of funding and did not "accurately reflect the underlying needs of children attending the school", the government said.

Under the new formula, schools which receive consistently low results or teach children who do not speak English as a first language will receive more financial support.

Ms Gardiner said she hoped it would make the budget process easier, and see fewer applications for extra funding.

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