‘Don’t slash £15m from vital grant for schools’
The cabinet member covering education at Wales’ only Torycontrolled council is calling on the Labour government not to slash £15m from an education grant.
Richard John, Monmouthshire Council cabinet member for children and young people, says the proposed cut to the Education Improvement Grant (EIG) next year could lead to schools cutting staff, including teachers.
The grant, distributed among schools by the regional school improvement consortia, is used for teacher training and salaries, among other things.
In its draft budget, the Welsh Government proposed cutting the EIG by £22m over two years, with £15m being cut from April 2018.
Mr John has written to Education Secretary Kirsty Williams warning the reduction may affect teacherpupil ratios and achievement.
The letter says: “Our headteachers in Monmouthshire are deeply concerned about the impact that the EIG cuts will have on vulnerable learners. While I recognise that a number of grants have been moved into the unhypothecated Revenue Support Grant that funding has been cut for almost every local authority.
“The greatest factor in securing a student’s achievement is a great teacher. I fear that the Welsh Government cuts to EIG will force schools to reduce staff and make it more difficult for young people to achieve their potential.”
Mr John said he is yet to receive a reply to the letter sent to Ms Williams just before Christmas.
The EIG was established in April 2015 and provides financial assistance to schools, local authorities and regional education consortia to improve educational outcomes.
The Welsh Government lists the grant as being focused on improving the quality of teaching and learning, addressing barriers to learning, improving inclusion, provision and leadership in schools.
Earlier this year the Assembly’s Children, Young People and Education Committee warned that the Welsh Government needs a “firmer grip” on monitoring how effectively the EIG is used. Some of the grant is used to target a number of specific areas including education achievement of gypsy and Roma children and minority ethnic pupils.
Mr John said: “It is also used for school uniform and training and salaries for teachers and teaching assistants at Foundation Phase.
“Many head teachers are concerned that the Welsh Government is cutting this funding at a time when schools are already under pressure.
“It is difficult to deliver the new curriculum and raise standards with these challenges. It feels as if the Welsh Government is putting more and more pressure on schools.
“Our council has protected school budgets as best we can although we are the worst-funded local education authority of all 22 LEAs in Wales.
“More pressure is being put on schools and we want to continue to raise standards but this takes money.
“If we want to deliver the new curriculum and compete with England and some of the best education sys- tems in the world the Welsh Government needs to put its money where its mouth is and properly resource education.
“I support Kirsty Williams’ aspirations (for education) and there has been excitement, but it is going to be challenging for schools to deliver.”
A Welsh Government spokesman said: “We have set a draft budget which continues to protect Welsh public services from UK government austerity. Our budget provides protection for schools including prioritising £170m to enable local government to maintain frontline schools delivery (at 2017-18 levels) over the next two years. We also welcome recent assurances from WLGA leader Councillor Wilcox that local authorities will prioritise frontline schools delivery for the next two years.”