Majority of schools to face cuts next year
Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer promised change. After 14 years of damaging school cuts, we expected this Government to begin to reverse the cuts. But on December 10, the Government recommended an unfunded teacher pay-award of 2.8% for 2025/26.
There is no way around it, this means more cuts for our schools.
New research released by the School Cuts coalition shows that the vast majority of schools – 76% of primary schools and 94% of secondary schools – will not be able to afford their costs next year. We calculate that schools’ costs for 2025-26 will rise by 3.4%, while mainstream school funding will increase by just 2.2%.
This cut in funding will see overall per pupil funding drop to the lowest levels in England in real terms for at least 15 years.
Schools are still in the midst of a funding crisis. Heads, teachers and school staff have done all they can to shield children from the impact of cuts. There are no more efficiencies to be made in school budgets. After 14 years of austerity, the majority of schools are currently not able to absorb increased costs.
These cuts will lead to schools shedding subjects, losing support staff, and cutting back on basic maintenance to balance the books.
All of this at a time when our class sizes in the UK are among the highest in Europe and a million children are taught in classes of 30 or more.
Many primary schools will also be hit by falling pupil rolls, which combined with cuts to funding could force them to close.
Every local authority in the country will see a reduction in real terms per pupil funding, with an average cut of 1.2%.
If she doesn’t turn back now, Rachel Reeves will only deepen the crisis in our schools. She will be the first Labour Chancellor since 1979 to tell schools to make cuts.
The Government need to increase school funding by £700m to fully fund staff pay awards for 2025/26.
It’s not too late for the Chancellor to do the right thing.