Dixons contribute to Child of the North APPG report on disparities in school funding between the North and South.
Posted 19th September 2023
Dixons contribute to Child of the North APPG report on disparities in school funding between the North and South.
Posted 13th September 2023
A new report that launched on Monday from the Child of the North APPG, highlights the imbalance in school funding across the country and makes the case for innovative approaches that bring health and education together to deal with the poor outcomes faced by children and young people.
We are incredibly proud of Dixons Trinity alumna, Maryam Kapree and Trust AP for Civic Responsibility, Jim Lauder who were invited to write in the Addressing Education and Health Inequity report, which shared perspectives from the North of England, and was prepared for the Child of the North All-Party Parliamentary Group. Maryam and our Trust AP for Anti-Racism, Funmi Stewart were also invited to attend the launch of the report at Westminster Abbey.
The findings of the report are astounding and show that northern schools are losing out on hundreds of pounds of funding per pupil compared to those in London. Over the last 10 years, ongoing inequalities in funding have meant schools in the North of England have received less money from the National Funding Formula (NFF) on average than their southern counterparts.
The new analysis, by academics from the Child of the North group – a partnership between Health Equity North and N8 Research Partnership - on behalf of the Child of the North All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), found that on average pupils in London received 9.7% more funding than those in the North, and the lack of funding is a timebomb for the economy, NHS and social services. MPs vowed to take the report further.
The report also highlights ground breaking projects in the North that showcase the power of working collaboratively and resource sharing to achieve transformational changes on pupils’ educational achievement and lives.
Maryam said: “I feel incredibly grateful to be able to represent young people from across the North. Writing in this report and being able to speak to MPs, has enabled me to provide an insight into the daily struggles which young people face. The pandemic not only highlighted, but further deepened the disparities between the North and the South, and young people from the North have been neglected for far too long. By speaking to the APPG, I have been able to discuss what I would like to see implemented on behalf of all young people, and I welcome the changes to ensure that young people have equal opportunities and are not left behind.”