Burnley MP warns of education cuts

Nationally schools have already had their budgets cut by £2.8 billion over the last two years. A further £8.9 billion of cuts are on the horizon for schools if the Conservative Party carries through their manifesto commitments.

Analysis by the respected Institute for Fiscal Studies shows that after taking into account inflation and the forecast rise in pupil numbers, schools will have a total real-terms cut to per-pupil spending of around 7% over the six years between 2015-16 and 2021-22.

The National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers have used the IFS figures to calculate what these cuts would mean for schools in Burnley. They have found that Burnley pupils on average will have their funding cut by £462 or by 10%. This equates to a £156,562 cut on average for each school in Burnley.

Mrs Cooper said: “From talking to heads, teachers and parents during the election campaign I know the pressure schools are already under. Class sizes are on the increase and we are seeing subjects dropped from the curriculum. School staff are losing their jobs or vacancies are being left unfilled.

"The education of our children and young people depends upon our schools being properly funded. Unless the Government reverses the cuts already made and cancels the cuts over the next five years the educational outcomes of so many children will be damaged.

"I have signed a new petition to the Government saying they need to stop the cuts to our children’s education. I would encourage all of my constituents to sign up too at https://schoolcuts.nationbuilder.com/post_ge_petition “