MILLIONS of pounds are to be pumped into Hampshire schools but critics say the funding crisis is not over.

Primary and secondary schools across Hampshire are set to receive a £35 million uplift next year, after the Prime Minister previously announced a £14 billion boost to schools across the country between now and 2022-23.

Now schools in Hampshire have found out how much money they will receive from the first £2.6bn investment from central government.

According to the figures, a total of £778.4m is expected to go to Hampshire schools in 2020-21, £28.6m more than 2019-20. The Government said the biggest increases are going to the schools that need it most, with secondary schools attracting a minimum of £5,000 per pupil next year and primary schools receiving a minimum of £4,000 from 2021-22.

But, school bosses and watchdogs said the funding crisis is not over.

The allocations present a mixed forecast for Hampshire schools, with some set to see a sharp increase while others could receive less than they did this year.

This is in part due to the method used to calculate the National Funding Formula (NFF), which includes a large section being based on the number of pupils at the schools on the most recent count, with an update due over the coming months.

Councillor Roz Chadd, executive member for education and skills at Hampshire County Council, said the authority will continue to work with the Department for Education and a representative group for headteachers.

She added: “We welcome the additional funding for Hampshire schools but are clear that, at this stage, the figures are indicative and subject to change in light of updated pupil data.

“The money for high needs is also very welcome but we anticipate that this will only assist with the accrued deficits and will not meet current and future rising demands.

“Up until now we have aligned to the National Funding Formula as far as possible.

“However, we do have some concerns about the use of the minimum pupil levels as a method for calculating allocations and the impact of the pay pledge to increase the starting salary of teachers to £30,000.”

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Lecturers, said the extra money “is not enough to reverse the cuts” while Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, added there will “still be winners and losers”.

By Maria Zaccaro (LDR)