From the National Education Union
While schools have been doing all they can to shield their pupils from the damage caused by the £2.8 billion real-terms cut from school budgets since 2015, the lack of investment in education is really biting.The latest research from the School Cuts Coalition, drawn from figures produced by the Government itself, shows that secondary school staff numbers in England have fallen by 15,000 between 2014/15 and 2016/17 despite them having 4,500 more pupils to teach.
Secondary schools have seen their staffing fall by an average of 5.5 posts since 2015. These cuts are affecting front line teaching, with each school losing an average of 2.4 classroom teachers and 1.6 teaching assistants as well as 1.5 support staff.
The School Cuts coalition warn that the situation is likely to get even worse, as 17,942 (nine out of ten) primary and secondary schools in England and Wales are predicted to be hit by a real-terms cut in funding per pupil between 2015-19.
Hank Roberts, Brent ATL secretary said, “Government cuts to education are really hurting Brent’s schools. This new research shows the effect cuts are having on Brent's schools.”
Sotira Michael, Brent NUT secretary said, “We should be investing in our young people. Education Secretary Damian Hinds must make school funding is top priority.”
To see how funding cuts have affected your school, visit schoolcuts.org.uk
The data is drawn from a comparison of School workforce in England: November 2016 and School workforce in England: November 2014. We have also used Schools, pupils and their characteristics: January 2015 and Schools, pupils and their characteristics: January 2017 to calculate the pupil : classroom teacher ratio and the pupil : teaching assistant ratio.