18 March 2005
Welsh schools are underfunded compared with English ones, according to head teachers.
A survey by the Secondary Heads Association Cymru, published on March 17, found that Welsh schools were losing out on £150–£200 per pupil per year. For an average secondary school with 1,000 pupils, this represents an annual shortfall of between £150,000 and £200,000.
SHA Cymru said the disparity stifled curriculum developments and staffing levels. It wants future funding decisions to be informed by a proper evidence base, which would also help to inform judgements on curriculum reform and innovation.
SHA Cymru general secretary Brian Rowlands said: 'The funding situation in Wales has been a major source of concern for years. This survey confirms our suspicions.'
But Welsh education minister Jane Davidson said the Assembly government always made its decisions on sound and well-researched evidence. She added: 'The key issue for funding for schools in Wales is not comparison with England but whether schools in Wales have the resources they need.'
PFmar2005
