School Funding Formula for Neath Port Talbot

"A local authority much have regard to the desirability of such a formula being simple, objective, measurable, predictable in effect and clearly expressed" (The School Funding (Wales) Regulations 2010, Section 10 paragraph 2)

Did the authority provide a written explanation of the Neath Port Talbot funding formula? Yes, they provided the relevant part of their Section 52 statements but there was no rationale or explanation for the formula. 

Is the formula measurable? Is it predictable? Yes. With the necessary specific information related to a school it ought to be possible to work out how a school's funding was arrived at, though this could not be described as "simple".

"The regulations require that 70 per cent of the funding must be distributed on the basis of pupil numbers. (School Funding in Wales Research Briefing August 2018)

Is 70% of school funding based on pupil numbers? The Neath Port Talbot formula does not take a pupil-based approach but instead the number of students is used to indicate the number of teachers required and from that required funding is determined. It is possible to see how each school's budget is calculated. It is not possible however to see clearly and easily whether 70% of the school funding is based on pupil numbers. 

There is no clear indication that Neath Port Talbot is ensuring "the same funding for pupils of the same age irrespective of the nature of the school which they attend" (The School Funding (Wales) Regulations 2010, Section 23 paragraph 1b).

References: Data Sources for Neath Port Talbot