Schools minister Nick Gibb admitted that the spending review pledges had become unviable. "Spending totals were based on the best forecast of inflation at the time, produced by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility," he said. "We always knew these were forecasts of inflation and subject to change."
Real terms cut
However, maintaining the national schools budget at last year's cash level will equate to a real terms cut for many schools. This is partly because the government has incorporated 12 grants - including extended schools cash and money to boost ethnic minority achievement - into the dedicated schools grant.
Since the ringfence has been lifted on these grants, local authorities will have more flexibility on the settlements they pass onto schools - so different schools will be subject to different cuts.
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