Posted on 2018-03-12 | 12:44

New research by the school cuts coalition of unions (NEU, NAHT, ASCL, UNISON, GMB and Unite) shows that class sizes are rising in the majority of secondary schools in Birmingham, Hall Green as a result of the Government’s cuts to education.

There is a particular problem in secondary schools because of a shortfall of £500m a year to funding for 11 – 16 year olds, between 2015/16 and 2019/20, plus the deep cuts to sixth form funding (over 17% per pupil since 2010). 62% of secondary schools in England have increased the size of their classes in the last two years (2014/15 to 2016/17). In Birmingham, Hall Green, secondary schools have an average of 1.5 more students in every class.

Roger said: “These figures show that the Government’s cuts to education are having a damaging impact on our schools. It is just not acceptable for education to be pared to the bone, while the Conservatives have cut the corporation tax rate by 9 percentage points since getting into power in 2010. These cuts are a political choice, not a financial necessity. It is deeply wrong and unfair to children, as well as being a false economy, to cuts schools funding while allowing multinational corporations and the wealthiest individuals to get away with contributing less than their fair share.

“Investing in children’s education is good for children, parents and teachers, beneficial to society and advantageous for the UK’s long-term economic prospects. I know from the many parents and teachers in my constiutency who have contacted me that they are extremely concerned about the impact that schools cuts are having on children’s education, with one parent telling me that their child’s school did not even have enough pencils. The Government urgently need to reconsider this situation and properly fund our schools. Teachers are working incredibly hard but they cannot stretch resources thinner indefinitely.”