Emma Hardy MP has today challenged the Minister for Schools in Parliament on the funding of education in her Hull West and Hessle constituency.
Intervening in an urgent debate called by the Labour Party, Emma Hardy asked the Minister (Nick Gibb MP) to say whether analysis showing schools would see their per-pupil funding cut over the next five years was correct. In a highly disappointing response the Minister fudged his answer and failed to give schools and parents the assurances they desperately need.
http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/68a280f0-821d-4f75-a329-bb5954d9d13a
Analysis by the respected Institute for Fiscal Studies shows that after taking into account inflation and the forecast rise in pupil numbers, schools will have a total real-terms cut to per-pupil spending of around 7% over the six years between 2015-16 and 2021-22.
The National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers have used the IFS figures to calculate what these cuts would mean for schools in Hull West and Hessle. They have found that pupils on average will have their funding cut by £306or by 7%. This equates to a £129,247 cut on average for each school in the constituency.
Commenting after the debate, Emma said:
“The response from the Minister was deeply worrying. Nationally schools have already had their budgets cut by £2.8 billion over the last two years. Further damaging cuts are on the horizon unless the Government changes course
From my conversations with heads, teachers and parents I know the pressure schools in our area are already under. Class sizes are on the increase and we are seeing subjects dropped from the curriculum. School staff are losing their jobs or vacancies are being left unfilled.
I will be doing everything I can in Parliament to continue to put pressure on the Government. I ask all constituents to sign this petition to the Government saying they need to stop the school cuts: https://schoolcuts.nationbuilder.com/post_ge_petition”