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Schools are at breaking point as funding is not keeping up with the expenditure schools face. The government’s funding commitment for schools is not adequate and equates to a real-terms cut in education spending. The situation is critical for schools, so NAHT is campaigning to:

Lobby the government to provide sufficient funding for the education of all pupils 

 

  • Support the School Cuts campaign
  • Lobby for provision of accessible and available health, social care and other therapeutic services to support pupils' educational progress and attainment
  • Lobby for sufficient funding for the High Needs block
  • Lobby for sufficient funding to support pupils with SEND in all mainstream schools
  • Lobby for more funding for early years education; including specific funding to stabilise and protect the maintained nursery school sector
  • Support the Raise the Rate campaign to ensure sufficient funding for students in sixth form / FE / KS5 education
  • Maximise the funding for pupil premium for schools through auto enrolment
  • Press the government to provide appropriate support to schools for financial planning and resource management
  • Develop a better understanding of the unique challenges facing small schools and lobby the government to ensure their long-term sustainability
  • Lobby government to introduce the hard funding formula

Lobby to ensure that schools have sufficient funds to provide a safe environment for pupils and staff

  • Press for the phased removal of asbestos from the school estate
  • Lobby the DfE to secure sufficient capital funding and restoration of the school estate where required
  • Press the government to ensure that health and safety regulations maintain the highest standard of safety within schools
  • Lobby the DfE to support members to effectively manage the school estate

More than half of England’s maintained nursery schools are struggling to cover core costs

Maintained nursery schools, like other early years providers, struggle to cover their costs from government funding. In April and May, sector body Early Education carried out an online survey of maintained nursery schools, in association with NAHT, NEU and UNISON.

The survey found:

  • more than half of all maintained nursery schools in England had an in-year deficit in 2021-22
  • 28% had a cumulative deficit
  • only 4 in ten (41%) had been able to set a balanced budget for 2022-23 
  • 44% could not set a balanced budget and
  • 15% didn’t yet know if they were able to.

 

NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman said:

“The confirmation of a long-term funding commitment for maintained nursery schools was very welcome. However, it is clear that this alone will not address the issues the sector is facing. What we now need to see is a review of how funding is distributed, as well as immediate financial support for those nurseries facing the biggest financial challenges. Successive governments have pledged their commitment to the maintained nurseries, now is the time to match that commitment with actions and secure their long-term future.”

Find out more and download the survey here.

Find out more about NAHT’s campaign to Fix School Funding.

First published 29 June 2022

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