Education 'sidelined' in Autumn Statement says NAHT

Responding to the Chancellor's Autumn Statement, Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“Yet another education promise has been broken immediately after being made.

“Far from being prioritised, as pledged by the Prime Minister at the Conservative conference, education has apparently been sidelined in this announcement.

“There was virtually nothing pledged for schools, and this statement did not touch upon the big challenges facing them, including severe funding pressures, the broken SEND system, and building safety.

“It will not help schools to meet the continuing challenge of inflation, recruit and retain staff, plug the chasm between the needs of SEND pupils and available funding, or repair or rebuild outdated and unsafe buildings.

“If this government expects schools and families to have any confidence it is serious about children’s education, we need to see action, not just empty words and promises.”