Schools in Wales are facing a challenging situation this academic year as more than half of school leaders predict a budget deficit. The dire findings have forced headteachers to make tough decisions, including cutting subjects like maths and music, not replacing staff, merging classes, and increasing class sizes.
According to a survey conducted by the school leaders’ union NAHT Cymru, 53% of school leaders in Wales anticipate a budget deficit this year, a significant increase from the previous year’s 29%. The deficits are estimated to run into millions of pounds and are affecting all 22 local authority areas in Wales.
Chris Parry, headteacher at Lewis School Pengam, shared his struggles as he faces a projected deficit of £300,000, which could balloon to £1 million in three years without action. Due to financial constraints, the school had to withdraw the offer of further maths at A level and has stopped running A level music.
Tim Newbould, headteacher at Ysgol Penycase Community Primary in Wrexham, highlighted similar challenges, stating that he has had to cut staff and is facing a projected deficit of £113,000. Mr. Newbould emphasised the increasing complexity of children’s needs, pointing to societal issues predating Covid, which have impacted children’s abilities to interact and communicate.
The survey conducted by NAHT revealed that school leaders are taking drastic measures to manage their budgets, such as reducing teacher numbers and hours, leaving posts vacant, and cutting teaching assistant hours. These actions are compounded by delays in repairs and refurbishments, reductions in non-educational support services, and changes to the curriculum offer.
Laura Doel, national secretary of NAHT Cymru, expressed concerns about the deepening funding crisis in Welsh schools and called for increased resources to enable schools to focus on improving standards rather than struggling with budget shortfalls. The union also emphasised the need for a coherent system to replace the current local authority funding formulas to ensure fair distribution of funds across all schools.
While the Welsh Government stated that school funding is the responsibility of local councils, the NAHT emphasised the need for urgent action to address the funding challenges and support schools in delivering quality education. The ongoing review aimed at reforming the funding system was highlighted as a crucial step towards ensuring sustainability and innovation in tackling the funding crisis in Welsh schools.