School excursions in talks of being scrapped to keep teaching staff

As reported by the BBC, school trips could be cancelled to help cope with rising energy bills

While the government has claimed to increase school funding amidst the energy crisis by recommending energy deals, financial stability in schools is still in dire need of help.

Head teacher at Shenley Academy, Jane Bartlett, annually organises educational field trips to Bletchley Park so students can learn about code breakers in World War II.

However, rising transportation costs has made the trip uncertain.

“They are students whose parents cannot afford to take them to museums, to art galleries, to places like Bletchley Park or to travel abroad to different countries to experience the culture,” says Bartlett.

The field trip cuts stem from the fact that the 5% increase in teachers pay in England comes from the school’s current budget. Moreover, unlike households, the price cap will not apply to schools’ energy bills.

“We are aware of the inflationary pressures facing schools and know that rising costs will impact schools differently,” says a spokesperson for the Department for Education.