Almost all schools and colleges in England are likely to face the
prospect of having to make cuts because of rising costs and
insufficient government funding, an ASCL survey has found.
The survey of 630 headteachers and business leaders found that:
- Nearly all respondents (98%) said their school or college
would have to make financial savings either in the current
academic year 2022/23 or future years, or both, compared to last
year, as a result of cost pressures. Alarmingly, 60% said they
will have to make financial savings both in the current academic
year and in future years.
- In the absence of additional funding, 58% said they were
considering or likely to reduce teaching staff and increase class
sizes, while 43% are considering reducing curriculum options, and
55% are considering reducing the number of teaching assistants.
- Additional costs facing schools vary depending on factors
such as the composition of their workforce in line with pupil
needs and energy price contracts. Our survey feedback shows that
some secondary schools are facing extra costs of up to £500,000
this year. This equates to the cost of employing around 10
teachers.
- Press reports have suggested that some schools may reduce to
four-day or three-day weeks to reduce costs. We asked respondents
whether this was being considered. None are considering a
three-day week, but 17 schools (2.7%) are considering a four-day
week.
The cost pressures affecting schools and colleges include
nationally agreed teacher and support staff pay awards for which
there is no additional government funding to afford the cost of
these awards, rising energy costs which are only partially offset
by the government’s six-month energy price guarantee, and rising
catering costs.
Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and
College Leaders, today said: “School leaders in this survey use
words such as ‘catastrophic’ and ‘devastating’ to describe the
financial situation they are facing and the impact on their
pupils. It is clear that the future is bleak unless the
government acts urgently.
“No government can claim to be serving the public interest by
presiding over an education funding crisis which cuts provision
and imperils standards. And no government which does so can
expect to remain in power at the next General Election.
“To make matters worse, we are concerned about the possibility of
further public spending cuts being imposed in order to rescue the
nation’s finances from the hole dug by the government. It should
be clear to MPs of all parties that it is simply untenable to
once again sacrifice schools and colleges on the altar of
austerity, as happened in the wake of the last financial crisis.
Education should not be seen as a soft target for government cuts
but a vital public service and an investment in the future.
“It is imperative that the new Prime Minister and Chancellor make
education a priority by improving the level of funding in their
forthcoming financial plans.”
Analysis by the
Institute for Fiscal Studies shows that, on current spending
plans, school funding per pupil will still be 3% lower in
real-terms at the end of this parliament in 2024/25 than it was
in 2010. Funding per student in colleges will remain 11% lower,
and in school sixth forms 27% lower.
Asked about the potential impact of cost pressures, one
headteacher said: “Devastating. I have been here for 15 years and
put my heart and soul into improving this school. It has been
tough, but it has worked; this is now going to be thrown away. I
have no option but to make significant redundancies across all
areas of the school, from SLT to support staff. The impact will
be a significant increase in class sizes, more work for the
senior colleagues who will still be here and over time, the
improvements which have been made will be eroded. I am completely
disillusioned.”
Another said: “Catastrophic. The scale of savings required
in-year is unachievable. Our forecast budget, which was
previously positive, is now dire. We would have to fundamentally
change our offer to manage. The quality of education we will be
able to provide will be substantially reduced.”
For more details on our funding survey see here.
