Responding to rumoured cuts to education funding ahead of the Spring Statement Budget this week, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said:

"Last week saw the government suggesting that schools will need to find ‘efficiencies’ and we are now seeing rumours of impending cuts to education spending. We must be very clear with ministers that after a decade of funding cuts there are no more savings to be found. Any reduction in funding will therefore have a direct impact on the education that schools can provide, and it is pupils that will suffer.

"If this government intends on making cuts to education, they will need to be clear about what it is schools are to stop doing. You cannot run the same level of service with less resource. They will also need to be honest with parents that any resulting impact or decline in provision will rest with them and not the profession.

"We would strongly urge the Chancellor to think again before asking children and young people to take on the burden of cuts – they deserve better.

"Looking ahead to the Spring Statement on Wednesday, we need to see the Chancellor commit to protecting the education budget; anything less would be a betrayal of children and young people."