Major school warning for parents as number of teachers, trips & sports events could be slashed to pay £1BILLION bills
SCHOOL kids face classroom cutbacks as cash is diverted to pay an eye-watering £1BILLION on energy bills this year, official figures reveal.
Headteachers must decide whether to reduce staffing levels or axe trips and sports events to keep the lights on as rocketing gas and electricity costs put the squeeze on their budgets.
Secondary schools in England are now estimated to be spending more than £161,000 on power, according to data compiled by the House of Commons Library.
For primary schools, the annual bill is £32,000.
The full scale of the impact of energy costs on schools emerged as Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi revealed he is “looking very carefully” at giving schools more money.
The energy costs - which have almost doubled - come on top of National Insurance rises and soaring inflation, which is driving up food and equipment prices.
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More than half of primary school headteachers recently reported having to reduce staff numbers due to squeezed budgets alongside cutting back on other support staff, IT equipment, trips and outings, and sport and extracurricular activities.
Unlike domestic customers, schools are not subject to the energy price cap, meaning there is no limit on the price rises they could face as wholesale prices increase.
Education chiefs have told heads they should manage cost pressures from core funding, but experts have warned that funding is still at 2010 levels.
Spending per pupil fell by eight per cent in real terms in England between 2010 and 2019, according to a recent report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, while since then total school spending per pupil rose by eight per cent to reach just below 2010 levels.
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It is a "remarkable squeeze on school resources over more than a decade, the think tank concluded.
Shadow schools minister Stephen Morgan said: “Children have already faced huge disruption due to the government’s chaotic handling of the pandemic and now the cost-of-living crisis, made worse by Downing Street, is further squeezing school budgets.
“Ministers must get a grip and urgently work with schools to ensure rising costs do not lead to children missing out on further opportunities.
“Labour is calling on the government to prioritise children’s learning and development post-pandemic, with breakfast and after school clubs, tutoring and mental health support.
"The Education Secretary must match this ambition with a proper plan to secure children’s futures.”
Energy costs are about 1.4-1.5 per cent of a school's budget.
But for the minority of schools out of contract, it jumps up to seven to 10 per cent.
An Education Department spokesman said: “We recognise schools may be facing cost pressures, particularly where energy prices have increased.
"The Department is contacting all schools in England to better understand how they have been affected by recent energy price increases and consider what additional support we can offer.
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“Cost increases should be seen in the wider context of funding for schools. In 2022-23, core schools funding will increase by £4bn compared to 2021-22 – a 7 per cent cash terms per pupil boost – and this will help schools to meet wider cost pressures, including energy prices.
"All schools can access a range of tools to help them get the best value from their resources, including recommended deals for energy costs and services related to energy.”