More than 88% of heads and teachers surveyed by Impact Wales are ‘very concerned’ about the funding situation facing their school, and 75% say their budget is likely to go into deficit this year.
Some 60 members of staff from schools across Wales took part in our survey, which looked at education funding in Wales.
When asked what would affect their school funding the most, more than 33% of respondents said pay increases for staff, and 30.5% said rising energy costs.
Only 3.4% said the implementation of Curriculum for Wales would have the biggest impact.
When asked what measures were being taken or considered in school to save money, 73% said staff numbers were being cut, 57% said spending on targeted interventions for pupils was being reduced, and 50% said spending on support services for pupils was being reduced.
The survey results come as the Welsh Government announced its draft budget for 2023/24, which it said was “one of the toughest since devolution”.
Education and Welsh language accounts for £3.6bn of the total budget, an increase of £28 million on 2022/23.
The Government also said the full £117m consequential from education spending in the UK Government’s Autumn Statement would be given to local government to fund schools.
Finola Wilson, co-director of Impact Wales said: “While any uplift in education funding is to be welcomed, the extra cash next year is not going to make much of a difference when schools are taking hits to their budgets from staff pay rises, spiralling energy bills and the cost of implementing new policies.
“Our survey shows that an overwhelming number of heads and teachers are very concerned about funding, and even if their school budget is looking good now, most fear they will be in deficit this year.
“The impact this could have on pupils’ education and wellbeing is profound, and it is even more concerning after two years of disruption from Covid and during implementation of Curriculum for Wales, the biggest change to our education system in decades.”
When it comes to funding, we believe heads and teachers are the best placed to know what is needed in their own school.
So, we asked our survey respondents what help or support would benefit their school the most.
Here is a selection of their responses:
“1.Grants from WG to be more transparent and given to schools without jumping through hoops. 2. School funding models to be looked at again AND QUICKLY. 3.WG to ensure that all schools have a funding baseline that is sent straight to schools so that LEAs cannot top slice it.”
“Independent advice and support to set a budget.”
“Please stop taking from the very establishments that are supposed to be the constants for the most vulnerable in our communities. Children deserve much more than being treated as numbers on a spreadsheet.”
“Welsh Government ring fencing education spending so LAs don’t dilute it. Abolish regional consortia. Abolish 22 LAs and merge to 4 or 5. Use money saved directly with schools.”
“Increased funding from the UK Gov to Welsh Gov – and/or the Welsh Government increasing funding to schools, and reforming the funding formula- stop the reliance on grants – we wouldn’t need grants if we were funded correctly – and stop certain schools carrying huge deficits.”
Finola Wilson added: “It is clear from the comments we received that heads and teachers feel too much education funding is being kept at local authority level instead of making its way to schools.
“So, the news that the extra £117m consequential from the UK Government’s Autumn Statement will go to local authorities instead of schools is likely to be met with anger and concern among the teaching profession.”