Poverty is harming children’s educational opportunities, union says

Growing child poverty is affecting children’s learning and education staff are increasingly providing the services and essentials of daily life to stop families “falling through the cracks”, according to NEU education professionals.

A snapshot survey of a sample of heads, teachers and school support staff who are members of the National Education Union (NEU) reveals the extent to which poverty is damaging the educational opportunities for children from poor families.

Eighty-seven per cent of respondents say that poverty is having a significant impact on the learning of their pupils and students and 60 per cent believe that the situation has worsened since 2015.

“Heartbreaking” was the description most commonly used by our members to describe the critical situation of many poor children and families.

Teachers described children wearing worn-out shoes and unable to do homework because they have no stationery.

One teacher commented: “The school collects for the food bank in the staffroom. But this is a big problem and it breaks my heart.”

Another said: “Parents are in crisis and not managing their children's emotional or physical needs as they are so stressed about money. The support we need to provide for these families cannot be underestimated.”

The joint survey by the NEU and the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) also reveals the extent to which schools are stepping in to fill the gaps left by the cuts to statutory services and voluntary and community organisations.

Schools have become a lifeline for poor families by providing the daily essentials – such as food, clothing and even, in a small number of cases, emergency loans – for families with nowhere else to go for help, the union says.

They are also subsiding breakfast clubs, enrichment activities and equipment for courses at secondary level to ensure no child loses out because they are poor.

One teacher told the NEU: “Teachers will go the extra mile to provide learners with what they need.”

Individual teachers, school leaders and teaching assistants also say they are providing a range of essential items for their pupils and students, including food, books, stationery, PE kit, uniform, sanitary protection, personal hygiene products and transport costs.

Fifty-three per cent of respondents personally provide school equipment such as books or stationery to low-income students at least once a term.

Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the NEU said: “The level of child poverty teachers and school staff are witnessing on a daily basis is having a dreadful effect on the life chances and education of far too many children and young people.

“It is shocking that in one of the richest countries in the world we have children without appropriate clothes or shoes, who go hungry every day, who cannot afford sanitary protection or who have no stationery to do their homework.

“As the survey demonstrates, schools will always do whatever they can to help families who are struggling, including running food banks in schools or staff spending their own money to feed children. But this should not be happening.’