11 January 2002
The NASUWT said heads had failed to spend up to £764m in 1999/2000 – more than £30,000 per school – and said the money could have been used to recruit more teachers and boost the pay of existing staff.
But the National Association of Head Teachers accused the NASUWT of using 'misleading figures'.
Claiming the statistics were 'crude', NAHT general secretary David Hart said: 'They take no account of the need to carry forward reasonable levels of contingency, nor do they even start to explain the simple fact that many schools have set aside specific sums to meet approved projects.'
The Department for Education and Skills said it was not an option for schools to hold substantial reserves unless money was set aside for a large project.
PFjan2002
