New school funding projections, compiled by School Cuts, show 90 per cent of schools with comparable data will have lower per pupil funding in real terms in 2023-24 than in 2022-23.
Real terms per-pupil funding is set to be cut by £147. This is on top of historic real-terms cuts.
The stark situation ahead
Today (Tuesday) sees the launch of a fully updated School Cuts Website. Anticipating the Chancellor’s Statement on 17th November, School Cuts makes clear the stark situation ahead.
82 per cent have lower per pupil funding
Peter Shreeve, Assistant District Secretary of the National Education Union said,
“What does this actually mean for individual Island schools? This new funding analysis shows real terms cuts next year (2023-24) compared with this year (2022-23).
“Of the 45 Island schools with comparable data 37 (82 per cent) had lower per pupil funding in real terms next year compared to this year. 33 (73 per cent) had lower per pupil funding in real terms than in 2015-16.”
Shreeve: Eight of the 45 schools will not have a shortfall
He went on to say,
“On the bright side, eight of the 45 schools will not have a shortfall, but the majority of schools on the Isle of Wight will in 2023.
“The greatest amount needed to restore per pupil funding in real-terms to this year’s level (2022-23) is £193,769 or £153 per pupil (Bay Church of England). However, the largest real cut per pupil is £487 – a total of £71,144 (Godshill Primary).”
£1.5 million extra needed
Nationally, real terms per pupil funding (in 2022-23 prices) will be cut on average from £6,028 to £5,881 next year. This is equivalent to a cut in school spending power of £1 bn or 2.4 per cent. The extra amount needed next year to restore Island per pupil funding in real-terms to this year’s level is £1.5 million.
Lower than it was seven years ago
Even before the upcoming cuts, real terms per-pupil funding remains lower than it was seven years ago.
School spending power nationally is £1.3 bn lower than it was in 2015-16 or 2.9 per cent. On the Isle of Wight, it is £2.3 million less than 2015-16.
Shreeve: Too many schools have been on their knees for too long
Peter Shreeve continued,
“These real terms cuts cannot be allowed to happen. We need to avoid cuts to support staff, increased class sizes, and cuts to subject choice that are inevitable with the current funding.
“Too many schools have been on their knees for too long and cannot weather yet another age of austerity.”
News shared by Peter Shreeve, in his own words. Ed
Image: Markus Winkler under CC BY 2.0
