Corbyn: We’ll fix £3bn hole over schools

‘Last resort’ for despairing heads

LABOUR is “brave enough” to tackle a £3billion black hole in school budgets, Jeremy Corbyn has assured head teachers. The party leader said the next Labour government will give education the “priority it deserves” because it “unlocks the potential” of children. His keynote speech to the annual conference of the National Association of Head Teachers in Telford was warmly applauded. Mr Corbyn said excuses for failures came “thick and fast” from the Government. Meanwhile they blamed teachers for not working hard enough and wasted cash on “vanity projects”. He added: “Labour will give schools the funding they deserve.”

TORY cuts could force schools on to a four-and-a-half day week, head teachers have warned. The drastic measure would be a “last resort” placed on them by ministers who repeat the mantra that “spending on schools has never been higher”. Carlisle head Graham Frost told the National Association of Head Teachers conference that the Government line was “like a recorded message”. He said: “We are not advocating a four-and-a-half day week, we are just despairing.” Heads could use the money saved by the shorter week to avoid sacking support staff for children with special educational needs. Clem Coady, also from Carlisle, added: “The four-and-a-half day week must be seen as, ultimately, the very last resort. There’s got to be some way of opposing these Governmentimposed cuts.” The National Audit Office has warned that schools face budget cuts of £3billion by 2020 because funding was not keeping pace with rising pupil numbers and increased costs. NAHT general secretary Russell Hobby told delegates: “These cuts are not inevitable. They are a choice and a false economy. Any money spent today will be repaid many times over in economic growth, enterprise and a healthier, happier population.” ■ More than 750 heads have now signed an open letter, published in the Mirror last week, urging the Prime Minister to reverse the cuts.

FALSE ECONOMY Mr Hobby