Half of Brighton and Hove’s schools have cut teaching posts to cope with budget cuts, a new survey suggests.
Forty five of the city’s 66 council-controlled primary schools have signed an open letter to the government saying educational provision will be “decimated” unless more money is given.
A survey completed by 31 of the schools shows three quarters are also having to cut teaching assistant numbers, and one in five saying they simply have nothing left to cut.
None said no cuts would be needed.
The letter says: Many of our schools are ending the year with a deficit budget, largely linked to unfunded pay awards for teachers and support staff, as well as spiralling charges and the cost of covering covid related staff absence during the autumn term.
“Despite everyone’s best efforts it is not realistic for schools to submit balanced budgets without decimating educational provision for their pupils.
“Schools have already made significant and difficult cuts to services, including reducing staff, cutting curriculum costs and postponing building expenditure.
“The dedicated professionals in Brighton and Hove work tirelessly to provide the best possible provision for their pupils, but they will not be able to give children what they need unless the government takes immediate action to make schools financially viable. ”
One anonymous quote from a head said: ‘We have nothing left to cut. We are not meeting the needs of our children. We are doing everything to be a truly inclusive school. Please send help.”
Another said: “I worry. I worry for staff, I worry for the community and most importantly I worry for our children across our city.”
Teachers strike to get pay awards then complain when it is “unfunded” i.e the cash came from the school budget. Rule 1 of tax money – things cannot be given that have not been taken away from another orgainsation or person first.
Perhaps cuts should include anything non-mainstream like anything that goes near Stonewall/Mermaids/critical race theory ?
The article above also makes no mention of the 20% drop in pupils expected between 2021 and predicted for 2025 intake time. Do we have too many schools ?
I see today it was announced that two primary schools in Worthing will merge due to 1500 unfilled spaces and no more on the horizon. I am sure that this would cause no end of comment/outrage in Brighton & Hove, but maybe it is needed due to falling pupil numbers.