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Information and public services for the Island of Jersey

L'înformâtion et les sèrvices publyis pouor I'Île dé Jèrri

School funding formula published

18 October 2022

​The Government of Jersey has published a simpler, clearer funding formula setting out how budgets are established for the Island’s schools. 

The Jersey Funding Formula for Schools has been developed following the Independent School Funding Review which took place in 2020. The review recommended that Jersey adopt a simpler funding formula to offer all schools and colleges equitable and flexible budgets. 

Under the previous system, school funding was allocated based on an Average Weighted Pupil Unit (APWU) methodology. APWU allocated costs to each area of spend (for example, building maintenance, teacher salaries), but did not accurately reflect the underlying needs of children attending the school which reduced schools’ ability to plan.

The new funding formula puts much more focus on the context of each school, and allocates funding accordingly. This means that schools receive more funding if they have more children with Special Educational Needs (SEN), a Record of Need (RoN), low prior attainment, who speak English as an additional language, or who have speech and language difficulties. 

The 2022 formula marks a transition point between the old APWU methodology, and the new approach. Over the next 12 months work will continue on the formula, to ensure that it more effectively allocates funds to support children with Special Educational Needs (SEN). This is directly aligned with proposed increases in funding for schools set out in the Government Plan 2023-26. 

Minister for Children and Education, Deputy Inna Gardiner, said: “Teachers and headteachers have told us that the current formula is too complicated, too outdated, and often leads to additional requests for funding. 

“This is the first time that we have published the school funding formula, to share with Islanders how we use our financial resources to best support children and young people. I hope that this increased transparency will allow us to have productive conversations with stakeholders – including schools – about how we can keep refining this formula to give all children the best outcomes.

"This has been a complex process, especially given that we are transitioning between two approaches. I’d like to thank the officers who have spent the last 12 months working on this, and my predecessor, Deputy Scott Wickenden.

“Officers will continue to work on the formula, and I intend to publish the updated 2023 formula in Q1 next year.” 

The Jersey Funding Formula is available via the Government of Jersey website.

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