£2 million to help Borders schools close poverty gap

by DOUG COLLIE

Primary schools in the most deprived areas of the Scottish Borders will be the main beneficiaries from Scottish Government pupil equity funding this year with a total of £2,157,430 allocated to educational establishments in the region.

The amount given to each school during 2021/22 is based on the estimated number of pupils receiving free school meals. In addition there will be a 15% top-up called a pupil premium.

Details of the amounts allocated to schools throughout Scotland are included in a Government publication which shows a total of £146.9 million will go to schools to help close the poverty related attainment gap.

When it was launched in 2017 ministers said around 95% of schools in Scotland would benefit from this additional funding – covering every local authority area.

Although the Pupil Equity Funding must help to support children registered for free school meals, headteachers can use their judgement to include additional children as part of the school's approach to help pupils affected by poverty.

The extra cash is paid by the Scottish Government to local authorities by means of ring fenced grant which clearly indicates the amounts that should be allocated directly to each individual school, along with the terms and conditions for its use. Councils have to confirm their arrangements for allocating the funding directly to schools.

Each education authority can issue complementary guidance about how the funding will operate locally. This may include the arrangements for schools to partner with each other, their local authority and school communities, to agree the use of the funding and ensure best value in the activities, interventions or resources that they deliver.

The funding can be spent on resources (including staff), provided that it is used to help improve outcomes for children and young people who are affected by poverty.

Headteachers must develop a rationale for use of the funding, based on a clear contextual analysis which identifies the poverty related attainment gap in their schools and plans must be grounded in evidence of what is known to be effective at raising attainment for children affected by poverty.

Pupil Equity Funding cannot be used to fund capital projects such as building renovations.

The largest Borders allocation in the current financial year is earmarked for Hawick's Burnfoot Community School which is to receive £167,669, with Langlee PS in Galashiels getting £109,900 and Eyemouth primary ££100,038.

Here are the figures for schools in the Hawick area (apart from Burnfoot): Denholm £11,413; Drumlanrig St Cuthberts £46,496; Stirches £26,771; Trnity £50,723; Wilton £60,586.

Galashiels (excluding Langlee): Balmoral £35,225; Burgh £49,314; Glendinning Terrace £14,090; St. Joseph's £12,681; St. Margaret's £8,454; St. Peters £47,905; Tweedbank £21,557.

Allocations for schools in other parts of the Borders include: Knowepark (Selkirk) £30,998; Philiphaugh (Selkirk) £58,332; Kingsland (Peebles) £53,541; Priorsford (Peebles) £36,774; Coldstream £33,816; Duns £45,087; Earlston £23,963; Edenside (Kelso) £69,040; Jedburgh £64,813; and St. Ronan's (Innerleithen) £39,311.