Schools paying the price
SueMcMahon,CalderdaleAgainstSchool Cuts
No matter how much the Government claims to have put in, schools are being forced to pay out even more.
The real terms reduction in government funding is having a huge impact, schools have a recruitment and retention crisis that they didn’t create, they are seeing staff leave and not be replaced, thus increasing the workload for the remaining staff.
Staff working in school are simply taking more and more on to protect jobs and support children’s outcomes. This is at a time when children enter school far lower - academically and socially - than ever before adding to the SEND crisis and additional financial pressure!
Providing basic equipment for pupils has now become the norm for teachers, who are both exhausted and angry, their workload has never been higher whilst
their remuneration is at an all time low. School leaders are fighting a frustrating battle to retain their staffing at current barely adequate levels. They are going home exhausted, then having sleepless nights over which cuts they will need to implement next. Working as a leader in schools takes its toll, holding young people, staff, families and their communities in mind compassionately and responsibly on a daily basis is beyond difficult.
Schools are not allowed to carry forward a deficit budget from one year to the next, the situation regarding school funding has now become very serious, with a large proportion of Calderdale schools set to be in deficit by next year - this will be mirrored nationally – and will result in even greater cutbacks. This year’s budget was inadequate, it won’t be enough to prevent schools being forced to make further cuts. What is clear is that teachers and school leaders taking strike action this week are fighting, not only for their own pay, but also to ensure
that schools have adequate funding to provide a better tomorrow for their pupils.