This week I report on the additional funding schools will receive over the next two years and a new report published by Ofsted on raising early years education standards.

Additional funding for schools announced in the autumn statement
As part of his autumn statement this week the Chancellor announced an additional £2.3 billion of funding in 2023/24 and £2.3 billion in 2024/25 for school budgets in England. The increase means that the amount of funding schools receive per pupil will rise on average by over £1k by 2024/25, compared to 2021/22, restoring per-pupil funding to the level it was in 2010.

Capital funding, which goes towards improving school building and infrastructure, will increase from £6.3 billion this year to £7 billion in 2023/24, before reducing to £6.1 billion in 2024/25.

Ofsted’s review looks to raising early years education standards
In a new report published this week Ofsted has stressed the value of play and teaching, and the importance of developing communication skills. The latest review joins the series of subject based curriculum research reviews which examines the factors that contribute to a high quality early education. Making sure children catch up after the pandemic is still a key challenge in the early years to which the report recommends that practitioners think carefully about what content to prioritise.