Ladies and gentlemen, you’re almost there… only 28 more sleeps to go until that well-earned, long-awaited, highly-anticipated Christmas break. You’re doing an incredible job so far, truly.
This autumn term has been… interesting. Hey, working in the education sector is a lot of things, but at least nobody can say it’s boring.
The most recent topic to shake the community was the Autumn Statement (released by Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt on 22 November), which we addressed in a Schools North East press release on Wednesday.
Of course, the first question on our mind was: How is this going to impact our schools, especially after such a turbulent autumn term?
Spending
The confirmation of additional spending to education, announced in previous budgets and spending reviews, was music to our ears and dancing to our eyes. However, it’s not clear from this year’s Autumn Statement that the government has fully appreciated the challenges facing schools.
Surprise, surprise.
As we all know, schools in the North East have long dealt with educational inequalities, which have been exacerbated by the pandemic and cost of living crisis. Unsurprisingly then, our region has the highest rates of free school meal (FSM) pupils, reaching over 30 percent in 2022/23.
RAAC
September 2023 may already feel like a lifetime ago at this point in the academic year, but the RAAC situation is still fresh in our minds. How could it not be?
Many North East schools faced significant disruption at the beginning of the 23/24 year due to the late change in guidance on reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). This disruption continues, with NE school leaders and teachers going above and beyond in extremely difficult circumstances to support their students.
This has also opened up a wider debate about the condition of school buildings, with the average condition being poorer in the North. Despite this, our region saw the lowest level of successful bids for the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) for 2023/4.
Recent data revealed an apparent North-South divide (where have we heard that before?) in the condition of school buildings, as well as the success rates of different regions in accessing additional funding to meet this need.
Our region would appear to be seriously disadvantaged in regard to school condition, combined with the lowest success rates in accessing key additional funding sources.
SEND
Supporting the increasing numbers of students with profound needs, addressing the unequal impact of the pandemic, and trying to attract staff amidst the teacher recruitment and retention crisis can only mean one thing: schools continue to have serious pressures on their budgets.
The rapid rise in SEND students is adding to an already large backlog and this need is continuously going unmet, negatively impacting educational outcomes for students.
Often, this unmet need is expressed through disruptive behaviour in mainstream schools, leading to rising rates of permanent exclusions.
Final thoughts on the Autumn Statement
Proper investment in the education sector is an urgent and critical economic priority, and yet this hasn’t been reflected in the Autumn Statement at all.
Chris Zarraga, Director of Schools North East, said: “Schools urgently need an adequately resourced and strategic plan, to address the educational challenges that the North East and areas like our region face.
However, the Autumn Statement appears to lack the ambition to ‘level-up’ education across the country.”
Our schools have already seen years of under-investment, and it’s disappointing (to say the least) that this will continue to be the case for the foreseeable.
All we can do is keep doing what we’re doing. It may not feel like enough, but remember that giving 50 percent when all you have is 50 percent, is still giving 100 percent.
To the dedicated education staff navigating through these challenging times, remember that you’re not alone! Amidst the disappointing government news, ever-changing expectations, and frustrating setbacks, remember to prioritise your own well-being.
Continue to act as if what you do makes a difference. Because it really does.
