NEU comments on Sutton Trust polling on school funding

Commenting on new polling of teachers on school funding, Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said: 

“The Sutton Trust report highlights the dire situation schools and colleges find themselves in due to decades of Government underfunding.

“Class sizes are at record levels - primary class sizes are the highest in Europe and secondary class sizes are the highest since records began more than 40 years ago. The education sector needs more money and needs it now. All children deserve to be taught in classes of fewer than 30 led by a qualified teacher.

“In 2022, the Government spent just 4.2% of GDP on education compared with 5.6% in 2010. High income countries spend an average of 5% of GDP on education. The Government ultimately must decide what type of country it wishes us to be – a low-wage, low-skill, low-investment economy, or a high-investment, high-skill, high-productivity economy, leading to high wages for its citizens.”