Today in the Observer:
Schools across England are warning they will soon be unsafe because they are having to cut teachers and support staff to save money, with record numbers now in deficit.
With escalating behavioural problems, soaring numbers of children with special educational needs, and increased pupil numbers, schools say staff are already stretched to the limit. Yet heads across the country say they now have no choice but to plan redundancies or not replace leaving staff in order to balance their books.
One in eight local authority maintained schools were in deficit in 2022-23, the highest number on record since schools took control of their own bank balances in 1999, according to data released by the Department for Education at the end of January. This was a big jump from one in 13 schools the year before, fuelled largely by spiralling energy costs and fully or partially unfunded staff pay rises. There has been a steady upward trajectory of schools being pushed into the red since the Conservatives came to power in the coalition government of 2010. In 2011 one state school in 20 was in deficit.
Staff cuts mean worsened pupil-teacher ratios and the inevitably worsened attainment.
The Guardian doesn’t mention that critical measure. From UK government data, here they are:
Pupil to teacher ratios in maintained schools were lowest in Scotland (13.2) and similar in Northern Ireland (17.4), England (18.0) and Wales (18.4).
https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-and-training-statistics-for-the-uk
I just know that some irregulars will quickly think that the Scottish figures, presented as ‘lowest’ must be then be worse but I know you know that 13.2 pupils per teacher is a lot better than the 18 in England and Wales.
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
800,000 pupils. Primary/secondary. 54,000 teachers. 15,000 classroom assistants. 5,000? Other staff. Janitors, secretaries etc. In Scotland. 15 uni + colleges etc. More staff.
Tories cut education £6Billion a year from 2015. Raised fees in the rest of the UK. £9000. Half will never be paid back. A burden on students. £87Billion student loan book. Sold on increasing interest.
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Having read the article, I note that no government minister was named, pictured or otherwise held to account in reporting the dire state of education for which Westminster is responsible.
I note that no Labour or Lib Dem politician featured in the article.
England is another country: opposition parties oppose differently there. Or perhaps it’s just that the news media do things differently compared to their peers in Scotland where a ‘save the Union’ mission ‘inspires’ a sustained confrontational and ‘scandalised’ approach, with opposition politicians only too keen to be quoted in their outrage at any opportunity.
stewartb
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Paving the way for Charter schools, along with Charter cities. Underfund, defund, destroy, replace with new privatised low/no standard system. Looks like England is on a downward spiral, to say the least. Scotland better get the heck out of the so called UK or be forced to accept selling off of all public services, not just the NHS.
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