The parent-led, Brighton-based group ‘Save our Schools’, has launched a campaign to “keep education funding on the political agenda” at the upcoming General Election.
Featured image: Save our Schools via Wikimedia.
The funding crisis
Since launching in March 2017, Save our Schools has campaigned tirelessly against cuts to schools’ funding implemented by the government. Quoting a report by The Institute for Fiscal Studies, the group states that in real terms, school budgets “have been slashed by 8% per pupil since 2010”.
Significantly, the group predicts that this funding crisis is about to get worse. If the current government’s spending plans go ahead, they estimate that “over 16,000 schools will have less money per pupil in 2020 than they had in 2015”:
By 2023, schools will still be £3.6 billion short of what they need to provide a good education for all pupils. Right now, up to 8,587 children and young people with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability) have no access to any type of educational provision. The £7 billion promised by the current government will not come close to restoring school funding to 2010 levels.
A negative impact on students’ learning
A recently conducted survey of 50 schools in the city revealed the huge impact that cuts to funding have had on children’s learning so far. The survey found that 94% of headteachers have been forced to cut equipment like books, software and computers, 66% have cut teaching assistants, and 40% have had to cut inclusion, special needs and mental health staff. 94% of headteachers reported that staff cuts have already had a negative impact on students’ learning.

Join the campaign
Save our Schools are encouraging people to share their stories of the impacts of funding cuts via their website. They are also keen for people to join their campaign to put the school funding crisis at the top of the agenda for this election, and spread the word about the government’s inadequate spending plans. You can print campaign posters for your window or local school from their website.