Wiltshire has received £405,503 in funding to help its schools with a financial deficit.

In October 2023, a report of school balances showed that 12 of Wiltshire-maintained schools had a deficit in 2022-23.

This is a slight increase from the previous two years, but still below 2019-20 when 17 schools had a deficit.

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald: These figures were presented to the Schools Forum in October 2023. These figures were presented to the Schools Forum in October 2023. (Image: Wiltshire Council)

The Department for Education recently announced one-off funding to support schools in financial difficulty in the 2023-24 financial year.

£20m has been awarded to local authorities who have the most significant maintained school deficits.

Wiltshire was one of the 35 local authorities eligible and received £405,503.

At the Schools Forum meeting on Tuesday, December 5, members discussed how this amount would be allocated.

They decided to approve the School Funding Working Group’s suggestion of applying a formulaic approach to allocation.

This means that the funding awarded is directly proportional with the scale of the individual deficits.

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald: The proposed method of allocation would mean Abbeyfield School receiving the most funding.The proposed method of allocation would mean Abbeyfield School receiving the most funding. (Image: Wiltshire Council)

This formula was considered the most equitable option considering the one-off nature of the funding.

The Department for Education have instructed local authorities to use this funding to best support their schools in the “individual circumstances in which they find themselves.”

The local authorities have flexibility over how this funding can be used but should fully utilise it in the 2023-24 year.