Not producing a Budget this spring does not mean that the
Chancellor should ignore the pressing need to address the
problems caused by its education cuts. The Government’s real
terms cuts to education funding are resulting in significant
damage to the education our schools and colleges are able to
provide. The Government is failing our children and young people,
including those with special educational needs. The Chancellor
must use his Spring Statement to address the funding crisis
urgently – the Government must not continue to ignore these very
real problems.
The National Education Union will examine the Chancellor’s Spring
Statement closely and will assess it against our five tests to
ensure a high-quality education for all of our children and young
people.
1. School cuts must be
reversed. Class sizes are rising, educational opportunities are
being reduced and schools are cutting staff numbers. The
Chancellor must ensure that every school is guaranteed at least
the same money per pupil as when the Conservatives took office in
2015
2. New money is needed from
the Treasury. The Chancellor must announce genuinely new money
for schools, not money taken from other areas of education
spending. At least £2bn more is required every year just to
maintain funding in real terms in the face of inflation, cost
increases and rising pupil numbers.
3. High needs, early years
and post-16 education must be fairly funded. Funding must also be
increased for pupils with special educational needs or
disabilities, early years pupils and 16-19 education, all of
which have suffered even bigger real terms cuts since 2010.
4. A five-year funding plan
must be put in place. Schools and colleges need to be able to
plan for the future. With pupil numbers rising and costs
increasing, they need to know how much money they will receive.
Funding must be announced and guaranteed for at least the next
five years.
5. Historic underfunding must
be addressed. Schools in historically underfunded areas must
receive extra money through a process of levelling up with better
funded areas. Fair funding won't be achieved by taking money away
from some schools to give to other schools. There must be enough
new money to make a difference for every pupil, wherever they
live.
The Government must restore the value of school staff pay to 2010
pre-austerity levels, beginning with an immediate 5% pay increase
for teachers to address the growing teacher recruitment and
retention crisis.
Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National
Education Union, said: “Our children and young people,
including those with special educational needs and disabilities,
are being short-changed by the Government. Class sizes are
rising, but teachers and support staff are being driven out of
the profession by attacks on their pay and intolerable workloads.
Schools and colleges are struggling to make ends meet. High needs
funding is in crisis, threatening the support we provide to
children and young people with special educational needs and
disabilities. The Chancellor must use his Spring Statement
to respond to the concerns of parents, head teachers, teachers
and support staff and invest in our children and young people.
The development of their skills and potential is essential to our
future prosperity.”
