Schools forced to make staffing cuts – and are planning more

A NEW survey has shown that more than 81 per cent of schools in South Warrington have had to make staffing cuts in the last three years.
Worryingly, they are planning further cuts over the next two years to cope with forthcoming budget pressures.
The survey was carried out by Warrington South MP, Faisal Rashid, who says it has revealed the real impact that Government cuts are having on schools in the constituency.
Mr Rashid invited schools from across the constituency to take part in the survey. He received a 71 per cent response rate with over 30 schools choosing to take part.
On staffing levels, Warrington South schools said that since 2015:
* 81.25per cent have had to make staffing cuts due to funding pressures.
* 87.5per cent said teacher numbers had either stayed the same or fallen.
* 84.38per cent said that teaching assistant numbers had stayed the same or fallen.
* 84.38per cent said the number of administrative support staff numbers had stayed the same or fallen.
On cuts to spending on other school resources since 2015, Warrington South schools said that:
* 80.65per cent have cut spending on books and equipment.
* 80.65per cent have cut spending on teacher training and support.
* 51.61per cent have cut spending on external student support.
* 67.74per cent have cut spending on extra-curricular activities.
In addition, 90.63 per cent said they would need to cut spending on books and equipment.
All the schools said they were either dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their current funding situation
Mr Rashid said: “Every child should have access to world-class education and our hardworking teaching staff must have the resources they need to carry out their job. I believe that in life, we ‘get what we pay for’, and without adequate investment, we cannot have a fit for purpose education system that does our young people proud.
“Children and young people in Warrington South have suffered for many years from attending some of the worst funded schools in the country. Despite government promises to reform the funding system, sadly our children are not receiving the investment in their future that each and every one of them deserves. Our school leaders are doing an excellent job in the most difficult of circumstances.
“According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the amount of per pupil spending in England’s schools has fallen by 8per cent since 2010. And it is clear that these funding pressures are having a real impact on our schools. A staggering 100per cent of the schools which responded to my survey made it clear that they are dissatisfied with current funding levels.
“Our schools are doing all they possibly can to protect pupils from the cuts, but this is getting harder and harder. In Warrington South, and across the country, underfunding means that our schools are under unprecedented pressure, which is resulting in the loss of school staff and leading to cuts to vital classroom resources and support.
“Alongside my Labour colleagues I am calling on the Government to stop starving our schools of the funding they desperately need to deliver a first class education. Our schools must be provided with the resources they need, the funding cuts must be reversed and per pupil funding must be increased in real terms.”