Welcome to the Berry Education Newsletter!
Stay updated with the latest statutory changes, best practices, regulatory updates and compliance requirements.
Some of this month’s Newsletter stories:
- DfE Confirms Paltry 3p Infant Free School Meals Funding Rise
- Delivering 6.5k New Teachers Pledge is ‘Significant Challenge’, says DfE
- TrustGov 2.0 Has Landed!
TrustGov 2.0 Has Landed
After months of development and feedback from our amazing users, we’re thrilled to announce the successful launch of TrustGov 2.0.
The update is now live across all accounts, bringing smarter workflows, clearer meeting views, and easier navigation — all designed to help you save time and manage governance with more clarity and confidence.
If you have any questions or need support getting started with the new features, our team is here to help. Just drop us a message at trustgov@berryeducation.com and we’ll be happy to assist.
Thank you for being part of the journey!
DfE Confirms Paltry 3p Infant Free School Meals Funding Rise
Funding for universal infant free school meals will rise by just 1.2% next year — a 3p increase per meal — despite rising costs. Food prices are up 3.3% (and could hit 5%), while wages and national insurance have climbed sharply.
With unfunded pay rises already squeezing budgets, schools face growing financial pressure. In real terms, free meals funding has dropped 16% since 2014, according to the IFS — and many schools are now warning of further strain from rising outsourced contract costs.
Academy Trusts Cut School Budgets by 28% Through GAG Pooling
Some academy trusts are retaining as much as 28% of their schools’ government funding through a process known as GAG pooling, raising fresh questions around transparency and financial decision-making at the trust level.
An analysis of 15 multi-academy trusts using this approach found many schools receiving significantly less than what they would have been allocated under the national funding formula — in some cases, reductions of 15% or more. The findings shine a light on the scale of internal budget redistribution and its impact on individual school autonomy.
Delivering 6.5k New Teachers Pledge is ‘Significant Challenge’, says DfE
The National Audit Office has warned that delivering Labour’s pledge to recruit 6,500 new teachers is a “significant challenge,” citing financial constraints and limited time. A full delivery plan won’t be published until after this year’s spending review, and only three more recruitment cycles remain before the 2029 deadline.
Currently, there are 4,000 teacher vacancies in secondary schools and colleges, as recruitment hasn’t kept pace with rising pupil numbers. The government may be unable to afford the most effective strategies, leaving little room to test new initiatives.
Government Takes Leaps Forwards in Driving up School Standards
The government’s RISE programme is expanding to support over 200 schools and 120,000 pupils, with up to £100,000 in funding per school to drive improvements. Backed by £20 million, the initiative aims to raise standards in long-term underperforming schools through expert-led support and tailored plans.
RISE advisers, many from high-performing trusts, are already partnering with schools to boost attainment, attendance, inclusion, and early years quality—making collaboration and real impact a top priority.