SCHOOLS are to receive an extra £1.3billion over the next two years, Justine Greening announced yesterday.

The Education Secretary confirmed she will push on with plans to introduce a national funding formula - but said the additional investment will provide schools with “the investment they need to offer a world-class education to every single child.”

Speaking in the Commons, Ms Greening said the Government had “recognised” concerns during the general election about the “overall level of funding in schools, as well as its distribution.”

Ms Greening said: “I’m confirming our plans to get on with introducing a national funding formula in 2018/19, and I can announce that this will additionally now be supported by significant extra investment into the core schools budget over the next two years.

“The additional funding I’m setting out today, together with the introduction of a national funding formula, will provide schools with the investment they need to offer a world-class education to every single child.

“There will therefore be an additional £1.3billion for schools and high needs across 2018/19 and 2019/20, in addition to the schools budget set at spending review 2015.”

The new funding formula has already led schools to cut support staff and some curriculum subjects like art and geography.

Southend was set to be particularly badly hit by the formula, with every single one of the borough’s schools losing out. The Echo campaigned for the cuts to be reversed.

The extra funding will mean that the total schools budget will increase by £2.6billion between this year and 2019/20, and per pupil funding will now be maintained in real terms for the remaining two years of the spending review period to 2019/20, Ms Greening said.

Ms Greening said this investment would increase the basic amount of funding for every pupil - with up to three per cent gain per year per pupil for underfunded schools and a 0.5 per cecnt increase per pupil for every school.

She added it would provide at least £4,800 per pupil for every secondary school.

James Courtenay, councillor for education in Southend, said: “I am always pleased when the Government is able to find additional money to put into eduction.

“We will be able to put that towards delivering better outcomes for children in Southend.

“It is difficult in times of austerity to protect budgets. Nationally it mirrors what we are trying to do locally which is putting education at the top of our agenda.