SCHOOLS in mid Dorset and North Poole face spending cuts of £2.1m next year – according to a teaching union.

The figures claim that schools in the area will have £169 less to spend per pupil next year (2023/24) compared to this year (2022/23).

In total all but one of Mid Dorset & North Poole’s 29 schools will see a reduction in their spending power next year compared to this year – according to research by the National Education Union.

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Liberal Democrats in the area have now called on Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to find further schools funding in next week’s Autumn Statement.

The figures estimate the true spending power that schools will have after increases in teacher salaries, pensions, tax and non-staff costs have all been taken into account. It comes after the Government instructed council-run schools to give teachers a pay rise of between 5% and 8.9% this year, but gave schools no extra money to pay for it, meaning that they have to make cuts elsewhere.

Overall, nine in ten schools across England will have less spending power next year compared to this year, according to the union. More than two in three schools in England will have a lower spending power next year than in 2015.

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Said Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Mid Dorset & North Poole, Vikki Slade: “Under this Government, schools must choose between teaching children or heating classrooms. Headteachers are warning that they will have to cut teaching assistants, mental health support and school clubs in order to make ends meet.

“Liberal Democrats know that a fair deal for Mid Dorset & North Poole means investing in our children’s futures. Parents and teachers will be rightly angry if the Chancellor announces more cuts to schools and colleges next week.”

Data taken from the https://schoolcuts.org.uk/ website, maintained by the National Education Union, which was updated with figures for 2023/24 on 8 November. An explanation of their methodology is available on their website.