School heads to get £85m for repairs

Schools are to get £85 million for repairs next year, with budgets coming under the direct control of head teachers.

Schools are to get £85 million for repairs next year, with budgets coming under the direct control of head teachers.

Repairrs budget under the direct control of individual primary school heads would rise from £33,750 in 2001–02 to £39,300.

Secondary heads would see their budgets increase from £98,500 to £114,700, Gordon Brown told the Commons.

As part of the Budget, £70 million of what the Department for Education and Skills said was new money would be invested in new educational facilities both in and outside schools.

And £87 million of money previously allocated to education that the DfES has so far been unable to spend has been released for measures to improve pupil behaviour.

Small businesses would get £30 million for improving training for their employees over the next two years, he said.

Mr Brown told MPs: "In the coming spending review, education will receive the priority to deliver further substantial improvements, not just in our schools but also in our universities and colleges.

"And, having raised the share for education of our national income during the last parliament, we are pledged to increase significantly the share of national income devoted to education over the course of this parliament."

Officials said Education Secretary Estelle Morris was pleased the Chancellor had stated education would remain the Government's priority and added that she regarded the money for schools in the Budget as a "down payment".