Funding pressures are affecting children’s education, survey shows

Schools are having to cut spending on books and equipment because of a lack of school funds, a survey has showed.

According to a research carried out by the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), funding pressures are affecting the quality of education and parents are being asked to step in.

A survey of around 1,200 teachers, support staff and heads revealed that 46 per cent of participants said they have had to cut spending on ICT.

In addition to this, 18 per cent said their school has cut support for English as an additional language, 73 per cent stated they have had to cut spending on equipment, and 93 per cent said they are “pessimistic about their schools funding over the coming three years”.

Three-quarters (76 per cent) also said their school’s budget has been cut this year compared to last year, and 41 per cent said their school has cut special educational needs (SEN) provision (38 per cent in primary and 44 per cent in secondary).

Mary Bousted, general secretary of ATL, commented: “The Government needs to sit up and listen. Schools are already struggling to make ends meet and children are already losing out.

“But Government underfunding means this will get much worse, since in two years’ time schools will have to make savings of more than £3 billion a year.

“Unless the Government finds more money for schools and fast, today’s school children will have severely limited choices at school and children from poorer families will be even further disadvantaged because their parents may struggle to provide the resources schools can no longer afford.”