The Scholls need more funding

Why we need to support our schools:

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.