A recent report by Schools Week reveals a concerning surge in budget cuts across schools in England, posing a serious threat to Labour’s flagship “opportunity mission” in education. According to a survey commissioned by the Sutton Trust (Download the original report here), more schools than ever since 2020 are being forced to reduce teaching staff, support staff, and even entire subjects from their curriculum.
Worryingly, nearly half of secondary school leaders admitted to using pupil premium funding—money specifically designated to support disadvantaged pupils—to plug gaps in their general budgets. This marks the highest level of such use since the Trust began tracking it in 2017, and represents a 13 percentage point rise in just a year.
Nick Harrison, CEO of the Sutton Trust, described the financial pressure on schools as “immense” and warned that many are now reaching breaking point. He called for urgent protection of school budgets in the upcoming spending review and for targeted funding reforms that better support disadvantaged learners.
These findings shed light on the growing financial strain within the education system, raising concerns that without swift action, schools may be unable to deliver on the promise of equal opportunity for all.
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