Headteachers are calling for new money for schools in the upcoming Spending Review after a survey showed that almost half feared having to cut teachers鈥 jobs next year, .
The poll, by the school leaders’ union the NAHT, found that 46 per cent of heads said they would have to reduce teacher numbers or teaching hours over the next 12 months due to financial pressures. Eight in ten said they would be forced to cut teaching assistant roles.
The union, which received almost 1,100 survey responses from its members during three days in May, found more than half of heads said they or senior leader colleagues would have to take on extra non-teaching responsibilities in the coming year. Just over seven out of ten would have to do more teaching.
Almost all 鈥 98 per cent – said there was not enough in their budgets for 2025-26 to meet the needs of all pupils.
The government recently announced a 4 per cent teacher pay award, along with 拢615 million of additional funding for schools. However, Paul Whiteman, the NAHT鈥檚 general secretary, said there were 鈥渘o palatable moves left to make鈥 when it came to balancing school budgets.
鈥淪chool leaders are literally walking on fire for their pupils and staff,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hey are doing everything they can to make things work, but there are just no palatable moves left to make when it comes to finding the money needed to deliver education and support for children.
鈥淲e are hearing strongly from our members that redundancies and staff reductions are the only way to balance the books.鈥
Whiteman said the sector 鈥渄esperately鈥 needs to see new money at the Spending Review on June 11 to avoid cuts.
Some respondents said they were having to fundraise as they set deficit budgets for next year, have no reserves left and are facing 鈥渋rretrievable deficits鈥.
One primary headteacher warned that a financial review of the school鈥檚 budget recommended staff savings as the only option left.
鈥淔or the first time, at the end of the summer term, we are having to release all staff on fixed-term contracts. That鈥檚 12 members of staff,鈥 the head said.
鈥淭here will be fewer adults supporting more children with higher needs. It鈥檚 not for the good of the children. It鈥檚 not for the good of the school. It is purely to be able to balance a budget. There is just no money left and no economies to make.鈥
Meanwhile, an executive head at another primary said its budget deficit will mean a 鈥渟ubstantial restructure” which would risk “every aspect of our three-year improvement to date鈥.
