Hundreds of teachers, school leaders, support staff, governors and parents have joined forces with union leaders today in Parliament calling for more funding for schools to be released by the chancellor in next month’s budget.

The National Education Union (NEU) organised the event with the support from leadership unions ASCL and the NAHT and support bodies GMB, UNISON and Unite to stop further cuts in schools. Earlier this year Justine Greening announced an additional £1.3 billion of funding which has been welcomed by unions and leaders however this is not enough to cover the shortfall of £2.8 billion of real-term cuts as a result of frozen funds and rising prices schools have faced since 2015.  

The protest is well supported by many of the education unions as well as mainstream political support. Angela Rayner and John McDonnell, the shadow education secretary and shadow chancellor, who will both be among the speakers in Westminster, as will Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable.  

Commenting on the government’s national funding formula for schools, Geoff Barton, general secretary of ASCL, said: "Slicing up the cake more evenly cannot disguise the fact that the cake is not big enough in the first place.” He added that the overall level of education funding “is a long way short of what is needed.”  

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT, described school budgets as being at “breaking point” and said that an extra £2 billion per year was needed “to avoid having to cut staff, cut classes, or limit what they teach.”
Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: “This lobby is another indication that the government cannot ignore the message they received loud and clear in the general election that our schools are on their knees financially and the public do not accept this should be the case.” He added: "The chancellor needs to address this in his Budget by giving schools the money needed to ensure our children and young people get the education in the 21st century they both deserve and need."  

Rehana Azam, National Secretary, GMB, said: “School staff are living in fear of the next round of job cuts or the next restructure, and pupils are suffering as a result. GMB is fighting to protect jobs in individual chains and schools but the education system desperately needs a national cash injection. £1.3bn just isn’t enough and no new money has been put into the education budget. It’s time for Theresa May to recognise the valuable work school support staff do every day and cough up and give schools the proper funding they so desperately need.”  

Jon Richards, Head of Education, UNISON, said: “Education budgets have been cut to the bone in recent years, and school support staff have suffered huge job losses. If the Government thinks it can make further cuts to staff and services with no impact on pupils, then it's living in a fantasy world. The only thing that’s going to save schools, and ensure pupils get the decent, well-resourced education they need, is more money. The Chancellor needs to stop snipping away at children's education, and properly invest in their future.”  

Gail Cartmail, Assistant General Secretary of Unite, said: “There's a deafening chorus of concern from politicians, school staff, teachers and parents about the damaging impact this Conservative Government's cuts will have on schools. Every child deserves the best start in life, but it risks being taken away and their education and wellbeing harmed as school staff face ever deeper cuts. Theresa May and her Government need to rethink their cuts agenda which is harming key public services and invest in our schools so that our young people can realise their full potential.”  

Is you school on the list? Find out how much schools in your community stand to lose by visiting the Schools Cuts website – www.schoolcuts.org.uk