Independent review of the Common Funding scheme
Launch of the review
On 12 June 2012, Education Minister, John O’Dowd, announced an independent review of the Common Funding Scheme, under the chairmanship of leading educationalist, Sir Robert Salisbury.
The review team is also made up of Dr Eemer Eivers, researcher at Educational Research Centre, Drumcondra, and Evan Bates, former Director of Corporate Services at the Royal Hospital, Belfast.
The review will guide the future implementation of a revised Common Funding Scheme. It is looking at how best to ensure that the Scheme is fit for purpose, sufficiently targets social needs and is consistent with, and supports, the Department of Education’s policy objectives.
The review panel submitted its findings and recommendations to the Minister for Education in January 2013. The report can be accessed using the link below.
An Independent Review of the Common Funding Scheme (PDF-744KB)
Independent panel to review schools funding scheme – Press Announcement
Terms of Reference – Independent Review (PDF-140KB)
Call for evidence
On 25 August, a Call for Evidence was issued to provide an opportunity for all interested parties to set out their views in detail. A considerable amount of information has been gathered through the Call for Evidence. Four hundred written responses were received from a wide cross section of individuals, schools representatives groups, unions and other interest groups.
CFS Review call for evidence (English)
CFS Review call for evidence (Irish version - PDF-410KB)
CFS review call for evidence response booklet (WORD - 108KB)
CFS review call for evidence response booklet (WORD - 114KB)
Stakeholder engagement - overview and outcomes
The panel now hopes to provide stakeholders with an overview and summary of the outcomes of this stakeholder engagement. We have, therefore, published a list of the organisations we have met with, an overview of the responses to the Call for Evidence and summaries of what respondents said on each of the questions in the Call for Evidence. These are purely factual documents and do not contain any decisions or announcements.
We are very appreciative of stakeholders’ candour in discussing their views with us and the care taken in setting out their positions in the Call for Evidence. We trust that all those who have advised us, or sent submissions to us so far, will accept that their views have been listened to carefully.
