"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 Bridgend funding formula? Yes. 

Is the formula measurable? Is it predictable? Yes.

"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? It is hard to say. The formula mentions the 70% requirement but also says "The Authority proposes to protect schools through the formula by means of a fixed lump sum allocation per school (primary and secondary) and also a tapered lump sum allocation (secondary schools only)."

When the figures are looked at in more depth, the bulk of funding is allocated according to a "pupil teacher ratio" rather than pupil numbers which relates to a much smaller proportion of the budget. 

"The base provision will comprise a pupil teacher allocation funded according to the Authority's average salary of a teacher. In the Primary sector, the pupil teacher ratio (PTR) will amount to 30:1 for pre-school pupils, 26:1 for Reception and Key Stage 1 pupils and 27.5:1 for Key Stage 2 pupils. For the Secondary sector the PTR will be 21.5:1 for pupils in Years 7/8/9 and 17.5:1 for pupils in Years 10 and 11. The pupil numbers used for this calculation are net of pupils in designated special classes and Learning Resource Centres (LRCs) in primary schools."

So Bridgend are providing all schools with a lump sum and allocating money to fund classes rather than pupils, using a pupil-teacher ratio calculation. This means it is unlikely that Bridgend can ensure that the funding is "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 Bridgend