End the shortfall in education funding

SCHOOL funding has been a running sore for years and one that has not gone away in the pandemic. While the spotlight moved to Covid, school leaders have still been juggling with what they say is a lack of funds.

The findings from a new report from the National Association of Headteachers’ Cymru comes at the same time as a separate study from the Institute for Fiscal Studies shows per pupil spend is £1,000 less in Wales than England and spending in real terms is the same as a decade ago.

It is worrying to hear headteachers across Wales warn in the survey that children’s education will suffer as a result of a shortage of cash.

They are leaving vacancies unfilled, buildings unrepaired and say they don’t have enough money to fulfil requirements of new legislation.

Those legislative changes, welcome and necessary while they may be, require extra cash. Politicians must now put their money where their mouth is if they want to see real improvements to education and attainment in Wales.

Education is not just about the amount of money spent on it, but it is a major factor.

It does not look good that Wales spends £1,000 less per child per year on schooling compared with England. While politicians insist education reforms mean comparisons in attainment are now problematic this is no time for Wales to lag, or be seen to lag.

As the Welsh Government embarks on the biggest change to school education with its new curriculum for Wales all eyes will be on it to see what follows.

Successive education ministers have made grand claims about their ambitions for education in Wales. While they are reliant on money from the Westminster government, it is up to them which pots that is divided into and who gets most.

School leaders and the NAHT are frustrated that money for education is not ring fenced and are calling for a reform.

It is certainly a complex and opaque system where money is circulated in different budgets and grants so it can be hard to see whether there is value for money.

Covid has added another layer of complexity to the mix. While the Welsh Government has provided cash for schools to respond to the pandemic, they in turn say it is not enough.

At a time when all public spending is under pressure it is imperative the now not-so-new Education Minister makes a strong case for more money for his department.

Successive reports have shown learners from the least advantaged backgrounds have been most disadvantaged by the pandemic.

It is essential for the economic and social future of Wales that this generation is not left behind.

Schools must get the funding they need and deserve.