Responding to this afternoon's Budget, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union, NAHT said:

“Today’s Budget was the first big opportunity for the new government to show it is serious about prioritising children’s education and beginning to reverse 14 years of chronic underfunding.

“Schools will welcome the extra money for special educational needs and school buildings, which is so desperately needed, and the rise in core funding to support the recruitment of more teachers. This cash must reach schools quickly and be followed by further investment and reform in future years.

“School leaders will also be relieved to see investment to get the school rebuilding programme back on track and more money for the government’s free breakfast clubs.

“The extensive neglect of schools under Conservative governments meant it was always going to be difficult to give school leaders all the financial support they needed in this Budget alone.

“It is a start based on good intentions, but it must be backed up by further ambition and investment in the multi-year spending review due next spring.”