Current school funding levels fall short

As reported by NEU, their survey of nearly 4,000 teachers unveils alarming gaps in school funding, affecting staffing levels, learning resources, and building upkeep, signalling an urgent need for increased investment in education.

Lack of Government funding is having a major impact on schools and children’s learning, a survey of NEU members has found.

A snapshot survey by the National Education Union of 3,981 teacher members working in English state schools, carried out online in October 2023, reveals:

• 92% believe that current funding levels are not high enough to allow their school to employ enough teachers, or for other staff to support pupils’ learning.
• 85% believe their school is not able to provide appropriate learning resources for pupils because of current funding levels.
• Two-thirds (68%) of teachers and leaders say that investment in school buildings has been insufficient. Just 15% have seen enough investment in upkeep of their buildings.

School spending power has been cut since 2010. It is currently 6% below its level when David Cameron was elected. Primary class sizes are the highest in Europe, and secondary class sizes are the highest since records began more than forty years ago (1977).

Almost all respondents (92%) disagreed that “current funding levels are high enough to allow their school to employ an appropriate number of teachers and other staff to support pupils’ learning.” This includes almost three quarters (72%) who strongly disagreed with the statement. Only 5% felt that there is currently enough funding for appropriate staffing levels in their school.

Although all groups of teachers were overwhelmingly negative about the effect of funding levels on staffing, primary members felt even more strongly than others. Some 80% of primary teachers strongly disagree that funding is adequate to provide enough teachers and staff, compared to 65% of secondary and 63% of special-school teachers.

Teachers’ feelings on funding levels with regard to learning resources are similarly negative to their responses on the underfunding of staff. Six out of seven respondents (85%) disagreed with the statement: “Current funding levels are high enough to allow my school to provide appropriate learning resources for our pupils.” This included a clear majority (54% of all respondents) who strongly disagreed with the statement. Only 7% agreed that funding levels are high enough for sufficient resourcing.

As with the question on staffing, there was a little variation by phase, with the strongest responses coming from primary members. Some 89% of primary teachers feel funding levels are too low to provide appropriate learning resources, compared to 86% of special-school teachers and 80% of those in secondaries.

There is also a smaller but noticeable relationship between age and dissatisfaction, with older teachers more likely than younger colleagues to say underfunding is affecting the provision of learning resources.