By Richard Johnstone
3 May 2011
Head teachers across the country
have warned that 12,000 jobs may be lost in schools this year as education
faces a funding squeeze.
A survey of members by the National
Association of Head Teachers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland found
that 60% of schools will have no increase in funding this year.
The union also found that the
government’s pupil premium of £430
a year for every child on free school meals in
England compensated for some cuts, but did not add new money into the system.
The survey of 1,362 head teachers in
primary, secondary and further education colleges concluded that the majority of schools fear they will run up deficits once
inflation is taken into account. Almost 15% of schools plan to spend more than
they budgeted for this year.
NAHT general secretary Russell Hobby
said that head teachers were
attempting to minimise job losses, but added they were ‘clearly on the horizon’. He added: ‘The pupil premium has not, so far,
proven to be an additional resource for the disadvantaged, merely cushioning
the impact of cuts for some schools.’
Hobby said local authorities’ budget
reductions meant schools were being increasingly forced to purchase services
that had previously been free.
‘School leaders know that other
sectors are facing significant cuts. At the same time, many schools have less
to work with at a time of rising targets and costs. We have to remember that
this may well be the best year out of the next four.’
