This month saw the publication of an article titled ‘Britain’s schools are already on their knees. Now they’re going to be gutted’ written by Frances Ryan for The Guardian. The article discusses many different ways that schools are struggling with budget cuts.

In the article, Ryan draws attention to schools all over the UK that are having to cut budgets for resources which, in turn, is having an effect on children’s education.

One school in London is now asking children to vacuum at the end of the day because it is so underfunded it can’t replace its cleaner.

A teacher from a school in Newport has said there are “no books or lined paper”, and they are asking parents to set up voluntary direct debits as emergency funding.

A school in Peterborough can now only afford one piece of A4 per pupil and, in Bath, a school has a limit of one sheet per class per week when photocopying due to paper and electricity now being deemed “luxuries”. 

London schools have also been under budget pressure. A recent survey by TES found that London school leaders rank managing budgets the number one challenge they face. Outside of London, it is the second highest challenge faced by heads.

It is clear that resources are being cut all over the country, with some schools in very dire and desperate situations already.

These cuts do not mean children are simply missing out on a few work-sheets, they are losing out on so much that they need in order to have a quality education.

School subjects are being scrapped altogether due to lack of budgets for resources and staff, meaning children are missing out on aspects of education they may want and need in the future. The Guardian article mentions that IT courses are being downsized and removed because there is no budget to fix broken computers.

Also, one teacher said: “At a time when Years 11, 12 and 13 are desperate to attempt past papers as part of revision- we’re having to tell our poorest 16 to 18-year-olds to use their own paper-round and babysitting money to print off their own resources.”

These cuts are not only affecting pupils’ school work but their entire lives and futures. This cannot continue.

This is why we at BESA have launched Resource Our Schools, an initiative that aims to ensure every school has access to the resources they need to deliver the education that our children deserve.

Please sign and support our statement here. 

Find the full Guardian article here. 

Find the TES article here.