Hundreds of headteachers march on Downing Street to demand extra cash for ‘cut to the bone’ schools battling staff shortages and crammed classrooms
- The campaign Worth Less? calls for more money to tackle issues such as overcrowded classrooms
- Headteachers want improvements with staff recruitment, low staff retention and working conditions
- Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner has voiced her support for the protest in London today
Hundreds of headteachers from England and Wales marched on Downing Street today to demand extra cash for schools.
The campaign Worth Less? calls for more money to tackle issues such as overcrowded classrooms, staff recruitment, the problem of low staff retention and poor working conditions.
Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner has voiced her support for the protest.
Headteachers from across England and Wales gather at Parliament Square in London to march on Downing Street today
The campaign aims to tackle issues such as the problem of low staff retention and poor working conditions
Headteachers from Somerset hold signs at Parliament Square today as they march to demand extra cash for schools
She said: ‘This unprecedented action by headteachers is a clear sign of the desperate struggle they now face to provide a decent education while balancing the books.
‘It is time that ministers listened to the clear message from communities across the country that they have had enough of cuts to their schools.’
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She added: ‘A Labour government will create a National Education Service, fully funding our schools to provide an excellent education for every child.’
Rob Kelsall, one of the organisers, said around 1,000 school leaders were due to meet in Parliament Square this morning before marching to Downing Street, where a delegation will hand a letter to Number 11 pleading for more resources.
Christine deGraft-Hanson, headteacher of Garston Manor School in Hertfordshire, holds a placard at Parliament Square today
Helen Longton-Howorth, headteacher of Carden Primary School in Brighton, holds a placard at Parliament Square today
Total school spending per pupil fell around 8 per cent in real terms in England between 2009/10 and 2017/18
Mr Kelsall said: ‘We are seeing schools – both maintained and academies – that are seeing their funds depleted, dipping into their reserves, and having to send out begging letters to parents. This is not through choice, this is because there is no alternative.’
Earlier this year, figures from the Education Policy Institute (EPI) revealed the number of secondary schools in England running at a loss had nearly trebled in four years.
The study, published in March, said the number of local council-run secondary schools in deficit dropped from 14.3 per cent in 2010/11 to 8.8 per cent in 2013/14, but between 2013/14 and 2016/17, the number in deficit nearly trebled to 26.1 per cent.
In July, the Institute for Fiscal Studies said total school spending per pupil fell around 8 per cent in real terms in England between 2009/10 and 2017/18.
The campaign Worth Less? calls for more money to tackle issues such as overcrowded classrooms and staff recruitment
The number of secondary schools in England running at a loss had nearly trebled in four years, figures revealed this year
Ms Longton-Howorth holds a sign as headteachers from across England and Wales prepare to march on Downing Street today
In response, the Government said it was spending record amounts on schools.
A Department for Education spokesman said: ‘There is more money going into schools than ever before, rising to a record £43.5 billion by 2020 – 50 per cent more in real terms per pupil than in 2000.
‘Every school attracts more funding per pupil through the National Funding Formula, high needs funding has risen to over £6 billion this year, and the 3.5 per cent pay rise we announced for classroom teachers on the main pay range is backed by £508million Government funding.’
The march commenced at 11.30am from Parliament Square.
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