The School Cuts coalition analysis* of the latest
Government school funding figures shows a shortfall in funding of
£5.4 billion over the past three years with 91% of schools in
England affected.
This is the most comprehensive examination of school
funding figures, bringing together:
• Schools Block
allocations (which for 2018/19 also includes the new Teacher Pay
Grant)
• the Pupil
Premium
• sixth form
funding
This new analysis updates our figures by using recently
released figures for actual school funding, rather than the
Government’s past estimates. In addition, we have used the
Government’s figures for school costs – published for the first
time - which are rising faster than inflation. This shows the
cuts are actually worse than our previous predictions. (For a
full explanation, see Methodology in Editor’s Note.)
Look at the School Cuts website www.schoolcuts.co.uk to
see how schools in your area are affected.
Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association
of School and College Leaders, said:
“Schools across the country have had to make severe cuts and
there are more on the way as reserves are drained and deficits
increase. The reality of budget cuts is that schools have to
operate with reduced staffing and this impacts on educational
provision, such as less additional support for children and fewer
curriculum choices. Schools are in the invidious position of
having to decide on the least-worst option of where to make cuts
or they will become insolvent.”
Rehana Azam, National Secretary,
GMB, said: “Low-paid support staff are
regularly dipping into their own pockets so children can have
food, stationary, and even sanitary products. We urgently need
more funding for our schools - the time to act is now.
“Schools have been pushed to breaking point. The smoke and
mirrors of ministerial spin do not disguise the reality that
kids' free school meals are being cut further by this
Government.”
Paul Whiteman, General Secretary of school leaders’
union, NAHT, said: “School budgets are at
absolute breaking point. School leaders have made all the obvious
savings. Now, class sizes are rising and the range of subjects
schools can offer is shrinking as they desperately try to balance
the books. Everyone agrees that the school funding crisis can
only be solved by new money from the Treasury.”
Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary, National
Education Union, said: “This is an
intolerable situation. Children and young people are being
short-changed by a Government that believes education can be run
on a shoestring. This situation cannot go on. There needs to be a
reversal of cuts to school budgets since 2010, and for the
funding of schools and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
provision to be of a level that ensures all children and young
people get the education they deserve.”
UNISON head of education Jon
Richards said: “Enough is enough.
Coffers are empty, as are bookshelves and staff rooms in many
schools.
“With heightened concern over the mental health of young
people, savage cuts mean fewer support staff to provide vital
personal help.
“Schools everywhere are struggling. Ministers must act now
or a generation of children will be disastrously let
down.”
Unite national officer Jim Kennedy
said: “The Government needs to stop
burying its head in the sand, drop the spin and wake up to the
crisis in school funding. School cuts are resulting in reduced
opportunities for young people in and out of the classroom and
leaving staff struggling to deliver the best education they can.
Ministers need to act fast to end the school funding crisis for
the sake of the generations to come.”
Editor’s Note
* All the data including a spreadsheet with cuts figures
for all schools in England is available at www.bit.ly/school_cuts_data
Methodology is here: https://bit.ly/2CtXZ9u
