Most schools face difficult cuts without more funding

A survey of 630 headteachers by the Association of School and College Leaders has shown that almost all schools are likely to have to make cuts due to rising costs and insufficient government funding.

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. Sixty per cent 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.

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, 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.”