Union demands answers over fate of Welsh Government funding

SCHOOL leaders from Wales will this week call on their colleagues across the UK to support efforts to prevent children in Welsh schools from being ‘short-changed’.

At NAHT’s annual conference in Harrogate, leaders will raise concerns that additional funding received by the Welsh Government for education may not be reaching schools – or even being spent on education at all.

The funding in question, known as ‘consequential’ money, is triggered by additional education spending by the UK Government under the Barnett Formula, such as the commitments announced in last autumn’s budget.

However, NAHT Cymru says it has been unable to confirm whether any of the extra funding received by the Welsh Government has reached schools, despite lodging Freedom of Information requests with officials in both Wales and England.

At the same time, many headteachers in Wales are struggling to set budgets without making painful cuts, including to staffing. A recent NAHT Cymru survey found more than half (53%) of schools predicted they would be in deficit this academic year.

Dean Taylor, headteacher at Pentrepoeth Primary School in Bassaleg near Newport, will urge delegates at the conference to back a motion calling for education funding in Wales to be ring-fenced.

The motion states that “education consequential funding should be ring-fenced for spending on education at Welsh Government and local authority levels, ensuring that children and young people in Wales are not short-changed.”

It calls on NAHT’s national executive to use its bargaining and lobbying strength to demand that all education consequentials received by the Welsh Government are spent transparently and equitably across Wales.

The motion is seconded by Rebecca Penn, headteacher at Charles Williams Church in Wales Primary School in Caerleon.

Laura Doel, NAHT Cymru’s national secretary, said: “At a time when schools are contemplating deficit budgets, cutting pupil spending, and making staff redundant, they deserve answers from the Welsh Government about the destination of this extra funding.

“Without transparency, there will inevitably be suspicions that this money is not reaching schools. If that is the case, it will be even harder for schools to provide the education children deserve.”

Another motion, proposed by Kerina Hanson, NAHT Cymru’s vice president and headteacher at Pennard Primary School near Swansea, calls for the union to campaign for the reintroduction of the Small and Rural Schools Grant.

The motion states: “Small and rural schools are an integral part of the education system in Wales. For many communities across the nation, the school is the heart of that town or village.

“The Welsh Government’s Community Schools Initiative sits at odds with the reality that small and rural schools are not fairly funded or valued.”

It argues that restoring the grant would help ensure small schools are properly supported during discussions about school reorganisation, prioritising the educational experience of learners.

A third motion, proposed by NAHT Cymru president Dafydd Jones, headteacher at Ysgol Melyd in Prestatyn, urges the union’s executive to lobby the Welsh Government to fully implement the 26 recommendations made by the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body last year.

So far, only seven recommendations have been actioned, with key measures – including protected leave for school leaders and better pay and non-contact time for additional learning needs coordinators (ALNCOs) – still outstanding.

The motion also calls for a fit-for-purpose school improvement service, maximising frontline funding and learner impact, following the Welsh Government’s commitment to review the middle tier consortia, which it describes as “overly bureaucratic.”

NAHT’s conference will take place on Friday 2 May and Saturday 3 May.

THE START of a formal consultation of a potential federation of two Pembrokeshire schools has been backed by senior councillors.

At the April 28 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet members were asked to note the decisions of St Florence VC School and Penrhyn VC School to commence consultation on establishing formal federations for the two schools, and to obtain Cabinet’s approval for the Director of Education to commence consultation on behalf of the two schools.

A report for members said the two schools had been in an informal ‘soft federation’ since September 2022, with the headteacher of St Florence acting as Executive Headteacher.

“Prior to this period, the Headteacher at Penrhyn VC School was a longstanding appointment since the school opened in September 2017 and subsequently leaving the authority in August 2022,” a report for members said, adding: “In order to ‘formalise’ the collaboration that is currently taking place, the governing bodies of both schools have considered establishing a Federation. The initial soft federation was set up due to challenges in recruiting a headteacher at Penrhyn VC School.”

In the report given by Cabinet member for education Cllr Guy Woodham, it was stressed the federation is “not an amalgamation, a take-over or a route to closure,” but a partnership of the two schools “sharing a joint vision for a venture that would serve the interests of pupils, staff and both school communities”.

The schools would remain as separate establishments; they would be funded and inspected separately, produce separate accounts and report their assessment results separately.

The report concluded: “Both schools will now work with local authority officers to undertake the appropriate consultation. As a school-led federation, determination of whether to proceed subsequently will rest with the two governing bodies.  The local authority and Diocesan Director of Education (Church in Wales) endorses the decisions of the governing bodies to proceed to consult on this matter.”

Members unanimously backed the recommendation, moved by Cllr Woodham.

APPLICATIONS for the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) for the 2025-26 academic year are now open.

EMA in Wales provides eligible learners aged 16 to 18 with £40 per week to help cover education-related costs such as transport, meals, and learning materials. In comparison, EMA is available at a lower rate of £30 in Scotland and Northern Ireland and was discontinued in England in 2011.

More learners are now eligible as income thresholds have been raised:

• Households with one dependent child: income of £23,400 or less
• Households with two or more dependent children: income of £25,974 or less

Raonaq, a learner at Fitzalan High School, said: “EMA has helped me to focus a lot more on school. Without it, I would have had to get a part-time job, which would have made it harder to study and revise for exams. It has helped me cover the cost of stationery, transport to and from school, and entering writing competitions. I don’t think I would have been able to afford these without EMA.”

The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Vikki Howells, said: “EMA is a vital support system that helps young people continue their education without financial barriers. Learners have told me about the positive impact EMA has had on their educational journey by helping them with everyday costs.

“I was delighted to announce the extension of the eligibility range earlier this year, ensuring that more students have access to this support. I strongly encourage all 16 to 18-year-olds and their families to check if they are eligible, even if they weren’t previously.”

New and continuing learners can check their eligibility and apply online [here] or speak to their school or college for help with applications.