A third of primary school leaders cut spending on edtech

As reported by Zipe-education, a survey from the National Foundation for Educational Research has found that 32% of primary school leaders have had to cut spending on education technology

In secondary schools, the figure is 20%.

The study was part of a catch-up report published by the Sutton Trust.

The reduction in edtech spending is a cause for concern. As the move to remote learning during the pandemic underlined, poorer students and schools were already suffering from a digital divide.

Most headteachers in England (57%) reported that the funding to help pupils recover from the pandemic has been insufficient. Of the primary school heads, this figure was 70%.

Sir Peter Lampl from the Sutton Trust commented “Today’s polling shows that schools are facing monumental challenges as a result of the pandemic, with schools having to cut crucial staff and support for pupils

“With all these ongoing pressures, dedicated funding for poorer pupils through the pupil premium is more crucial than ever. It’s a disgrace that a third of heads still report using pupil premium funding to plug budget gaps.

“The government must make an enormous investment in education recovery so that all pupils are given a chance to succeed” concluded Sir Peter Lampl.