In a BBC exclusive report, school leaders in England have warned that a cut to school trips may be the first port of action before reducing staffing numbers. This news comes after schools have warned that they are being particularly hit by the rising energy bills.
Schools and businesses are not currently covered by the energy price cap recently announced. For those on the default tariffs in October energy prices will rise to £3,549 a year. Schools have warned that as such they will have to grapple with energy bill rises of more than 300 per cent.
Including school trips, school leaders have warned that a cut tom teaching assistants and building projects will have to be the first cuts made. In addition to this, lesson size increases and heating restrictions may also be used in an effort to save costs. The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) have warned that many schools are predicting that they will be heading straight into a deficit this year unless the Government steps in to offer substantial assistance.
The loss of school trips
Talking to the BBC, head teacher of Shenley Academy, Jayne Bartlett said that she usually runs a school trip to Bletchley Park for students so that they can learn about the code breakers in World War Two. Rising coach costs means that she is now unable to confirm if the trip may be able to go ahead this year. Notably, she has expressed fears that the poorest students will be hit the hardest if this trip is cancelled.
Further cuts to school budgets
In addition to school trips, Jayne has warned that one-to-one music lessons funded by the school may also face being cut in amongst the unsustainable rising costs. “These lessons… are invaluable. But they are incredibly expensive, as you can imagine. It’s unaffordable for parents,” she said. Further to school trips facing a potential axe, staff in North Yorkshires East Whitby Primary School informed the BBC that they are currently discussing whether the Christmas carol service can go ahead due to the cost of buses. Headteacher Simon Smith added that planned improvement works to one of the playgrounds was now up in the air.
“Last summer we had a boiler pop. All those things don’t sound a lot – but actually that’s £3,000 to replace that. All you need is a couple of bits and suddenly any extra money that you’ve got is gone,” he said.
Notably, Simon added that his school in particular has more children with special educational needs and disabilities. As a result he affirmed that he will ensure that keeping staff is more of a priority than the extra curriculum activities and repair costs to the school.
Calls on the government to act
A Department for Education spokeswomen said, “We are aware of the inflationary pressures facing schools and know that rising costs will impact schools differently.” However, Conservative MP for Harlow Robert Halfon, who chairs the Education Select Committee told BBC Radio 2’s Today programme that the government must introduce an “essential public services tariff” for energy, with the view that it should include schools and colleges.
Final Thought
It cannot be understated the deep and lasting ramifications if school trips are cut in order to save funds. School trips namely in the English, Drama, History and Government and Politics departments in schools are integral for encouraging young learners to actively engage with the curriculum. If schools are made to only deliver the curriculum in one linear style due to these issues raised, this will namely impact neurodivergent learners.
The agenda of the Secretary of State for Education has never been more apparent. A “essential public services tariff” must be pursued at the earliest opportunity in order to save schools from slashing essential activities. Given the recent dip in GCSE grades, it is clear that ringfenced funding for school essential activities should be a clear policy pursued. We must ask ourselves; what type of education system are our young learners being given if schools can no longer provide basic school activities. I dread to consider the answer and ramifications to this question.