Headteachers are warning that redundancies will be inevitable next year amid a funding crisis.
Thousands of schools across England are planning on cuts because of spiralling costs, soaring energy bills and the added burden of an unfunded pay increase.
Unions are warning it's 'a perfect storm' and the ones who will suffer are the pupils.
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Staff say they have been doing all they can to cut back, including sourcing the cheapest paper and supplies, but all of that takes time they don't have and there are no more savings to be made.
School leaders’ union NAHT said its shocking survey of more than 11,000 headteachers, the largest of its kind ever undertaken, reveals two-thirds predict they will have to make teaching assistants redundant or reduce their hours.
Half say they are looking at reducing the number of teachers or teaching hours.
It's something that NAHT general secretary, Paul Whiteman, says 'cannot be allowed to happen'.
“The anger and desperation I am hearing from my members is unprecedented,” he said.
"Schools are being hit by a perfect storm of costs. In attempting to balance their budgets, school leaders are being faced with eye-watering energy bills, spiralling costs to resources and the financial impact of an unfunded pay increase.
“With no fat left to cut following a decade of austerity, many thousands of schools are looking at falling into deficit unless they make swingeing cuts – education is truly in a perilous state.”
Only last month Steve Chalke, head of the Oasis Academy chain, whose trust runs 52 academies, including the likes of Oasis MediaCityUK in Salford and Oasis Academy Oldham, highlighted the cost of energy bills in schools.
He said the average cost of energy for an Oasis primary school has risen from £26k a year to £89k a year - leaving them with an unfunded gap of £63k.
Today he tweeted: "Let’s be very clear. Fact! There are no more cuts to funding for state schools, on top of those already inflicted, that it’s possible to make - in any shape or form - without seriously damaging our ability to deliver the breadth of care and curriculum that every child deserves!"
Almost half of schools in the survey said they would be forced to reduce non-educational support and services for children next year, including cutting back on vital services such as counselling, therapy and mental health support.
More than four in ten said they would have to reduce spending on additional targeted interventions for pupils requiring additional support. This means pupils needing extra help or those with SEND may not get the support they need.
Mr Whiteman added: “After a decade of austerity, schools have made all the easy savings already. The only things left to cut are things that will have a real immediate impact on children – and especially those who are already the most disadvantaged and vulnerable.
"This goes against everything school leaders strive for, and the anger and desperation I am hearing from my members is unprecedented."
Schools are getting extra government funding, but they say it is nowhere near enough to make up for the rising costs.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We understand the challenges facing schools driven by high inflation. To support them at this time, we are providing schools with £53.8bn this year in core funding, including a cash increase of £4bn for this financial year. This is a 7% per pupil increase in cash terms across schools and high needs.
“All schools will benefit from the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, reducing how much they need to spend on their energy and giving them greater certainty over their budgets over the winter months. We are also providing schools with tools and information to help get the best value for money from their resources.”
Has your child's school warned of cuts or is having to fundraise or crowdfund for added support? Do you work in a school that is struggling to afford the basics like paper? Let us know your views in the comments here.
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