Budget 2017: Chancellor confirms more money for new selective free schools – and introduces T-Levels for technical education
Ahead of a White Paper later this year Philip Hammond said he would pour £320m into new free schools
MILLIONS will be pumped into 110 new free schools in Britain ahead of a shake up of the education system - the Chancellor confirmed this afternoon.
And Philip Hammond also revealed new T-Levels will be introduced from 2019 to give students a "technical education".
Ahead of a White Paper on schools later this year, Mr Hammond said today that he would pour £320 million into new free schools - which can be set up by parents or faith groups.
Some of these are likely to be grammar schools - as Theresa May seeks to overturn the current ban on opening new ones later this year.
The government will also pick up the tab for longer journeys to existing grammars for kids on free school meals. And £216million will be put into existing school maintenance.
And the Chancellor said that following a review, he would introduce new qualifications called T-Levels which would focus on technical training for students.
He said it would focus on "clear routes into work, more time in the classroom and good quality work placements";.
He said: "We will increase by over 50% the number of hours training for 16-19 year old technical students including a high-quality 3 month work placement for every student so when they qualify, they are genuinely 'work-ready'."
The new T-levels for 16 to 19 year old technical students will be introduced from autumn 2019. Students will be able to choose from 15 different routes such as construction, digital or agriculture.
The government will also provide maintenance loans for students doing them - like university loans offered at the moment.
MOST READ IN POLITICS
Mr Hammond said today: "Our forthcoming Schools White Paper will ask universities and private schools to sponsor new free schools.
"It will remove the barriers that prevent more good faith-based free schools from opening and it will enable the creation of new selective free schools so that the most academically-gifted children get the specialist support to fulfil their potential.
"And today I can announce funding for a further 110 new free schools, on top of the current commitment to 500."
The Chancellor said that before the opposition "get excited", the Government is investing in existing schools too. Someone shouts that it won't.
Mr Hammond shouted back: "Oh yes we will".
He said: "We’ll invest in our existing schools too – by providing an additional £216 million over the next three years, taking total investment in school condition to well over £10 billion in this Parliament."
What did the Chancellor say about education?
We’ve put education reform at the heart of our agenda since 2010.
And that commitment is already paying off.
89 per cent of schools in England are now rated “good” or “outstanding” – the highest proportion every recorded.
That’s 1.8 million more children being taught in good or outstanding schools than in 2010.
Our forthcoming Schools White Paper will ask universities and private schools to sponsor new free schools.
It will remove the barriers that prevent more good faith-based free schools from opening
And it will enable the creation of new selective free schools.
So that the most academically-gifted children get specialist support to fulfil their potential.
And today I can announce funding for a further 110 new free schools, on top of the current commitment to 500.
This will include new specialist maths schools to build on the clear success of Exeter Mathematics School and King’s College London Maths School – which my RHF the Prime Minister visited earlier this week.
We commit to this programme because we understand that choice is the key to excellence in education.
But we recognise that for many parents the cost of travel can be a barrier to exercising that choice.
Pupils typically travel three times as far to attend selective schools, so we will extend free school transport to include all children on free school meals who attend a selective school. Because we are resolved that talent alone should determine the opportunities a child enjoys.
We’ll invest in our existing schools too – by providing an additional £216 million over the next three years, taking total investment in school condition to well over £10 billion in this Parliament.