New data released today (Monday) on the updated School Cuts Cymru website shows that funding cuts implemented by the UK Government have resulted in 69% of comparable maintained schools in Wales facing real-terms cuts since 2010/11.
In total 922 schools in Wales have faced cuts, with real terms per pupil funding falling by £343 (7%) for primary pupils, £388 (7%) for secondary and £411 (2%) for special schools.
The School Cuts website is run by education unions National Education Union, Association of School and College Leaders and school leaders’ union, NAHT, and supported by Parentkind and National Governance Association.
Ahead of the general election, the organisations behind the School Cuts website are collectively calling for all political parties to commit to a plan to invest the funding needed in education to eradicate all school cuts. To restore funding back to 2010/11 levels in real terms for all schools in Wales would require an investment of £154 million.
The School Cuts website was established in 2016. The website shows the impact of Government funding decisions on every mainstream school in Wales.
Eithne Hughes, Director of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru, said: “Schools in Wales are facing a dire funding situation. There desperately needs to be more investment in education to help schools support all of their pupils and deliver an ever-growing list of reforms.”
Laura Doel, national secretary at NAHT Cymru, said: “These damaging cuts help explain why Welsh schools are being forced into impossible choices, such as whether to lay off teachers and teaching assistants, or reduce the curriculum, none of which are good for either pupils’ learning or staff morale and wellbeing.
“Ahead of the general election, we need all parties and candidates to commit to ensuring investment in children’s education is prioritised, and it is clear that the Barnett formula, through which Wales is funded by the UK Treasury, does not favour the country and urgently needs to be reviewed.”
Nicola Fitzpatrick, Acting Wales Secretary of the National Education Union, said: “The underfunding of education over the past 14 years by the UK government has had clear knock-on consequences for students and staff in Wales. Education in Wales is really struggling. In real terms, there are cuts to the education budgets across the country.
‘Real terms pay cuts have been central to many of the issues blighting schools. It affects recruitment, with the Welsh Government unable to meet its training targets year on year. We also see teachers leaving in droves, and too many of them just a handful of years after qualifying. Ahead of this election we will be lobbying all political parties to ensure that a long-term funding plan is implemented, that would see real-terms growth in funding for education in Wales.”