Heads cut staff as amid school budgets shortfall

SCHOOLS across the West Midlands have been forced to cut staff or activities due to a lack of funding.

One in three, 33 per cent, said they had already made cuts to balance their budget, and 38 per cent said they expected to make cuts this year.

The results were published by headteachers’ union the NAHT, following a survey of the region’s schools.

Heads highlighted a series of problems, including lack of funding for pupils with special educational needs.

Almost all school leaders, 98 per cent, reported that funding for pupils with special needs in their school was insufficient.

They also highlighted increased costs due to Covid.

Emily Proffitt, headteacher of Cooper Perry Primary School in Stafford, said: “Our resources budget, which should be used to support pupils’ learning, is continually impacted upon by the high levels of cleaning and sanitising materials that we must continue to buy to protect our pupils in the current Covid climate.

“Increasing cases of Covid amongst staff in our region means that demand for supply teachers is in excess of planned budget levels.

“This is something we have no control over and is spiralling out of control to the point where demand outstrips support available.

“Budgets are extremely tight. Replacing damaged or broken resources is a challenge... we often have conversations about the need to replace over making do. We shouldn’t have to cut corners in education.”

It comes after nursery school headteachers visited Downing Street to warn they have been forced to cut staff because they don’t have enough money.

Erdington MP Jack Dromey (Lab) led a delegation of 150 headteachers, governors and parents to deliver a letter to Number 10 on Tuesday.

They want the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, to improve support for maintained nursery schools, meaning schools funded by local councils, in his Spending Review, which he will announce on October 27.

A survey conducted by trade unions found a third of nursery schools are cutting staffing and services to balance their books, almost half are running a deficit budget for the financial year and only one in four said they could continue to operate with current funding levels.

Mr Dromey said: “It is often acknowledged by ministers that our state-maintained nursery schools are the jewel in the crown of early years provision, but if the Government is serious about levelling up opportunities across the country, the Chancellor must ensure the longpromised, long-term funding settlement for MNSs is included in the spending review.

“If this is not forthcoming, this will mean losing some of England’s highest quality early years provision which has a unique role in supporting some of our most vulnerable children, including children with complex and special educational needs.”

The letter urged the Government to include long-term funding for nurseries in the upcoming budget and provide additional resources to make up for Covid-related costs.

Tim Bowen, NAHT president, said: “The situation regarding school funding – for general budgets, pupils with special educational needs and the Covid recovery programme – is in a critical situation.

“Spending per pupil in real terms is lower now than it was a decade ago and schools are responsible for so much more. The system is at breaking point.

“The Government needs to see education as investing in our country’s future, rather than a burden on the Exchequer.”