Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to tackle the financial imbalance in donations received by state schools in affluent areas and those in poorer areas.
Answer
Schools have historically generated income to bring communities together as well as to bring in extra funding, over and above schools’ core budget. There are many types of income generation, which range from letting out premises to beetle drives. Overall, schools generate around £1.3 billion a year, which is roughly 4% of the schools’ budget. Income specifically from donations and voluntary funds has remained steady at about 0.7% of schools’ overall budgets since 2011-12.
As set out in the Department’s Supporting Excellent School Resource Management strategy, the Department intends to publish guidance for schools on these issues.