The issue
- There has been 15 years with no overall growth in school spending. This squeeze on school resources is effectively without precedent in post-war UK history.
- Schools are now facing new and significant cost pressures e.g. surging energy prices, covid-related costs, falling primary pupil numbers, the National Insurance increase, and pressures due to significant underfunding of SEND.
- Changes to the government’s national funding formula (NFF) have seen a redistribution of funding away from schools serving the most deprived communities in recent years.
- Funding for pupils with special educational needs (SEND) is in crisis, with overall High Needs budget deficits estimated to be more than £2billion and growing
- The value of pupil premium funding designed to support the most disadvantaged pupils has fallen in real-terms since 2015.
- The government has only invested a small fraction of the covid recovery funding that its own recovery commissioner said would be required.
- Between 2009-10 and 2021-22, capital spending declined by 25% in cash terms, and 29% when adjusted for inflation.
- Specific types of schools including small schools and maintained nursery schools remain under extreme financial pressure and many of facing the real risk of closure.
What we want to see
What we want you to do
Our conference motion
“Conference instructs National Executive to develop a national fair funding campaign to press government to provide a sufficient overall level of funding to meet the needs of all pupils, through the national funding formula and the high needs national funding formula. This is required now to enable schools to set budgets from 2022-2023. It would allow them to meet all their statutory responsibilities and provide an extended curriculum offer that supports all children and young people to thrive academically, socially, physically and spiritually.
Conference further instructs National Executive to campaign for an increase in capital funding that will address the nation’s decrepit school estate, to ensure that school buildings and grounds are safe, fit for purpose and appropriate for the needs of the 21st century.”
Useful links
MP roundtable resources
Other useful links
Relevant articles and reports