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Schools
in the North West to benefit from £34 million under new fairer
funding rules
SCHOLLS in some of the
least fairly funded areas across the North West will soon benefit
from a £34 million cash boost in the biggest step towards fairer
schools funding in a decade, Schools Minister David Laws confirmed.
A vital part of the Government's plan for education is ensuring
schools are properly funded, so that all pupils regardless of
background can reach their full potential.
In July, the Government published estimates of how an extra £390
million would be allocated to increase the budgets of the least
fairly funded areas across the country, while ensuring no other
local Council's per pupil funding would be reduced from its current
levels. The Department for Education has
now published the final per pupil funding allocations for 2015 to 2016 for all local areas.
Areas across the North West, including Cheshire, Salford and Cumbria
will all receive an increase in funding.
Schools Minister David Laws said:- "Schools are absolutely
crucial to our vision to build a stronger economy and a fairer
society, so that everyone can reach their full potential.
Without proper funding it's impossible to give children a fair start
in life.That's why we are taking action to address the unfairness
in school funding by allocating an additional £390 million to the
least fairly funded areas in the country, whilst protecting schools
budgets elsewhere. This is the biggest step towards fairer
schools funding in a decade, meaning every local area will attract a
minimum level of funding for its pupils and schools in 2015-16.
Schools are also benefiting from an additional £2.5bn of extra
funding through the pupil premium to help raise attainment amongst
the most disadvantaged pupils."
In March the Government announced that it would take action to
tackle the unfair and complicated system of allocating local school
funding, and launched a consultation on how to deliver a cash boost
of £350 million to schools in the least fairly funded areas by
setting minimum funding levels. Details of how an extra £390 million; £40 million more than was announced in Marc; was then announced
in July.
Funding has been allocated to local areas on the basis of the
characteristics of their pupils and schools, rather than on
historical data that is out of date and no longer reflects pupils'
needs.
This will mean that in 2015 to 2016 every local area will attract a
minimum level of funding for each of its pupils and schools, making
the distribution of funding to local areas much fairer. In every
local area, this will mean, for example, that the most deprived
pupils in primary schools will attract at least £4,454; in key stage
3 at least £5,820; and key stage 4 at least £6,372, and this will
continue to be supplemented by further direct funding through the
Pupil Premium; an additional £2.5bn of extra funding for schools to
help raise attainment amongst their most disadvantaged pupils.
The publication of the final funding allocations for local areas
today will build on the progress already made to ensure school
funding is fair and transparent. Local authorities now allocate
almost 90% of schools funding based on the needs of pupils compared
with only 71% in 2012 to 2013. These reforms will ensure an immediate
increase to the least fairly funded local Councils and will pave the
way for the implementation of a national funding formula over the
next Parliament.
Southport care home resident wins
national Christmas card competition
A resident at HC-One Appleton Manor Care Home
in Southport has won an annual national Christmas card competition
run by HC-One, Britain's third largest care home provider.
HC-One Appleton Manor Resident Terrence Ball fought off stiff
competition to design HC-One's official Christmas card. Terrence
beat over 300 entries to win the competition with a truly festive
Christmas design featuring a group of beautiful snowmen on a snowy
winter day.
For his excellent piece of artwork, Terrence Ball was presented with
a prize which included a cheque for £100, a hamper full of goodies
and a bunch of lovely flowers. He will also receive a professionally
printed copy of his wonderful Christmas card which will be the care
home group's official card for Christmas 2014.
Terrence was presented with his prize by HC-One Managing Director
Liz White at a special presentation event at Appleton Manor Care
Home on Thursday, 11 December 2014.
HC-One Appleton Manor Home Manager, Lisa Joy, said:- "The
card is beautiful and Terrence really likes talking about it. He
clearly had a natural talent and it is fantastic that his creation
has been recognised!"
HC-One Regional Managing Director, Liz White, adding that:- "It's
great to see such talent. Terrence's Christmas card is wonderful and
it's great to see him expressing his creative flare."
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Bank worker
Elaine leads fundraising drive for people with dementia
A Birkenhead bank worker
whose parents have both been battling dementia has led a 3 year
fundraising spree for a charity which helps families dealing with
the condition.
The team at Lloyds in Pyramids Shopping Centre have been diligently
raising money for The Alzheimer's Society for the past few years, a
charity choice that has been taken to heart by customer service
manager Elaine Cull who has watched both her parents, Margaret and
Norman, living with dementia.
The 48 year old from Upton has spearheaded the branch's efforts,
which will culminate this year in the raffle of five huge hampers,
after her mum, Margaret was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2012.
Elaine, who lives with her husband Eric and 2 children, said:-
"It has been hard for us and it's quite sad as Mum was always so
involved with the grandchildren, and really the matriarch of the
family and she's not able to do all those things anymore. And
my Dad is just a bit lost as she was always the one who organised
everything. We've done what we can to make their lives easier and we
go in every day after work and cook for them."
After 2 years of seeing her mum deal with dementia, Elaine was
devastated when recently her dad, Norman, started showing signs of
dementia himself.
She said:- "He hasn't had a formal diagnosis but he is
starting to have problems too. The last couple of years haven't been
great but we've pulled together as a family. They are happy and
they're warm and they're loved so we just take it one day at a
time."
This first hand experience has
made Elaine an ideal host of the bank's Tea And Talk sessions that
have been an integral part of Lloyds' fundraising efforts over the
years.
Setting up an informal social group in the Pyramids branch, staff
have invited customers affected by Alzheimer's to come in, chat,
enjoy a homemade cake and a drink while sharing information about
the disease and the support that there is available.
Elaine said:- "It has helped on a personal level that I can
talk to people about the problems and what help there is out there
and a lot of people have really appreciated being able to come in
and do that."
Collecting donations at the same time, the events have gathered more
than £1,000 so far and the raffle of the hampers will be the final
fundraiser for The Alzheimer's Society before Lloyds change their
chosen charity next year.
Elaine, who has worked with Lloyds for 29 years, said:- "We've
put these lovely hampers together from donations that all the staff
have brought in. There are all sorts of goodies in them; wine,
chocolates, Christmas puddings – and the raffle tickets are just £1
each."
The Lloyds team at the Pyramids has worked closely with the local
Alzheimer's Society office in Birkenhead throughout their
fundraising efforts, often asking representatives from the charity
for information or to join them in spreading awareness.
Sue Newnes from The Alzheimer Society's Wirral office said:-
"In a word, the support we have had from Lloyds over the years has
been wonderful, both with the fundraising and awareness work.
The thing that has really impressed me about them is that they have
supported not only their customers, but also their staff. They have
done so much training to make them aware and become so much more
dementia friendly that they really have taken the lead in the
Wirral. We can't thank them enough for all their efforts."
Tickets for the hampers are on sale in the Lloyds Bank in Pyramids
Shopping Centre.
For more information about Pyramids Shopping Centre go to:-
pyramidsbirkenhead.com or go onto the centre's
Facebook page or Twitter account @PyramidsSC to find out more.
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