School funding and its implications

The local government settlement

The finance which is made available annually by national government from general taxation to support local government expenditure. Education usually accounts for a high proportion of such funding.

The community charge

The means by which local governments raise funds from their electorate to contribute to their expenditure on local services, such as education.

The aggregated schools budget

The total funds made available for expenditure by schools by an LEA. This must be at least 85% of its overall funding for education and is allocated using an approved funding formula.

Formula Funding

The method by which funds for school budgets are calculated, with a particular emphasis on numbers of pupils on roll as reflected in age weighted pupil units.

Age weighted pupil units (AWPUs)

The number of `units' allocated to children of particular ages which is reflected in levels of school funding. In 1995 a 16 year old counted for nine units and a 7 year old for one unit.

Teacher salaries

A School Teachers' Review Body makes recommendation to the Secretary of State for Education each year on teachers pay.

Pupil-teacher ratios

The proportion of pupils to all teachers in a school or within an education system - a figure which includes teachers in administrative or other posts.

Class size

The number of children in a class who are taught by one teacher. Often aggregated for a school, LEA on the national system to produce an average figure. The national figure has been rising in recent years.