Education in this week's Spending Review

This week's Spending Review will set the direction of public services over the next few years.  Here are some of the key education things we've identified from the announcement this week:

• Real terms increases of 0.1 per cent in each year of the Spending Review (up to 2015) for the 5-16 school budget
• Overall resource savings in Department for Education’s non-schools budget of 12 per cent in real terms
• A new fairness premium to support the poorest children.  This will be worth £7.2 billion in total between now and 2015, including through a £2.5 billion pupil premium, additional early years provision and a National Scholarship fund in higher education
• In early years, Sure Start funding is protected in cash terms, including new investment in Sure Start health visitors.  Reforms to Sure Start children’s centres will encourage more community providers to enter the market, including through payment by results.
• The Government will make further savings through rationalising and ending centrally directed programmes for children, young people and families
• A single contact point for funding for further education colleges and other training organisations
• The Government will also improve the quality of information and advice for students, including through the development of an all-age careers service.
• The Government will look to significantly extend the use of personal budgets across a range of service areas including special education needs and support for children with disabilities.

We don’t know all the details of these announcements yet, and the implications of all these announcements will be worked out over coming weeks and months. We will keep you updated on some of the key developments here.

You can find more information about the Spending Review here: http://www.autism.org.uk/news-and-events/news-from-the-nas/government-announces-its-comprehensive-spending-review.aspx