SCHOOL budgets have lost out on billions of pounds due to cuts since 2015, according to recent research.

The School Cuts coalition analysis of the latest Government school funding figures shows a shortfall of £5.4 billion over the past three years. In England 91 per cent of schools have been affected.

Paul Shellard, Brighton and Hove National Education Union (NEU) secretary, said: “This is an intolerable situation. Children and young people are being short-changed by a Government that believes their education can be run on a shoestring budget.”

He said the Government refuses to accept the ever growing class sizes, the lack of teachers and support staff, unfinished building repairs and the fact teachers are having to pay out of their own pocket for items such as text books and glue sticks.

He said: “This situation cannot go on. There needs to be a reversal of cuts to school budgets since 2010, and for the funding of schools and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision to be of a level that ensures all children and young people get the education they deserve.”

In the most recent data, according to Mr Shellard, more than 40 of the 70 Brighton and Hove schools have suffered an annual shortfall between 2015 and 2016 and 2018 to 2019 with many of them greater than £100,000.

For one school, he said, it is more than £1 million. His recent research shows that more than a third of Brighton and Hove schools have had formal restructuring and redundancy consultations during the last three years.

Two Brighton and Hove secondaries are currently consulting with staff and unions about restructuring proposals. He said: “Many schools have left posts unfilled when staff leave. The cuts have impacted on both local authority schools and academies.”

Impact

Cath Fisher, parent and member of Save Our Schools campaign, said: “Our children and young people are experiencing the impact of the stranglehold on school funding. Across the city, we’ve heard of deteriorating buildings, cuts to arts and music provision and school assemblies in tears as teaching assistants and support staff are laid off.”

She said schools are reduced to “begging” parents for money to cover basics such as books.

Andy Richbell, of St Nicolas Primary in Portslade said: “In schools all over the country, the opportunities we are able to offer our children are reducing. Pastoral support is being cut as levels of anxiety in children are increasing.

“Brilliant staff who passionately care about their children have taken on more and more responsibilities to the point where they feel they can’t do their jobs properly anymore. Headteachers are marching on Downing Street in their thousands and Local MPs from all parties recognise the impact that school funding cuts are having in our communities and are speaking out.’