Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

School and College Funding: The Midlands — [Mark Pritchard in the Chair]

09 May 2023 · 8 other contributors · 14,287 words

Opened by Zarah Sultana Your Party Coventry South

Responding minister: Robert Halfon

Education

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Zarah Sultana raised concerns about school and college funding: the midlands — [mark pritchard in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • School spending per pupil in England fell by 9% in real terms between 2010 and 2020.
  • Funding per student aged 16 to 18 in further education and sixth-form colleges fell by 14% during the same period.
  • Secondary school class sizes in England are the highest they have been in over 40 years.

Key requests to Government

The Government must restore pay for further education teachers and address the challenges faced by colleges across the country. They need to come back to the negotiating table with an above-inflation pay rise to undo a decade of falling pay. The Minister should also address staff recruitment and retention issues, improve free school meals funding, and invest in crumbling school buildings.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Zarah Sultana Your Party Coventry South

Between 2010 and 2020, school spending per pupil in England fell by 9% in real terms, funding per student aged 16 to 18 in further education and sixth-form colleges fell by 14%, and funding per school student in sixth forms fell by a whopping 28%. Secondary school class sizes are the highest they have been in over 40 years, and primary class sizes are the highest in Europe. Teachers' pay has been cut year on year while teachers work more unpaid overtime than any other profession. The impact is severe, with one teacher stating that expectations are huge, pressure unmanageable, rewards diminishing, making it harder to find positive every day. One in five teachers buy supplies from books and pens to rulers and glue sticks for their students, nearly half even buying food, clothes and soap.

Other contributors (8)
  • Ben Bradley Con Mansfield

    Stressed the importance of education as a priority, highlighting positive progress in Mansfield with more schools rated 'good' and increased funding. Advocated for reducing teacher workload and improving early years provision. Acknowledged significant capital investment in school buildings and praised recent announcements on rebuilding three local schools. Emphasised the importance of community engagement through sports facilities and work-based learning opportunities.

  • Helen Morgan Lib Dem North Shropshire

    Inquired about the struggles in recruiting teachers in maths, science, and languages due to unfunded pay rises, citing concerns from headteachers in her area.

  • Jane Hunt

    Asked Theo Clarke to discuss T-levels and how they are contributing to local communities, particularly mentioning Loughborough College as an example.

  • Jonathan Gullis Lab Stoke-on-Trent North

    Congratulated the lead MP and thanked educators across Stoke-on-Trent for their work. Noted that school funding has increased by 44% per pupil since 2010-11, reaching £7,460 per pupil in 2023-24. Highlighted additional spending of £7 billion secured by the Department for Education and further contributions from the Prime Minister and Chancellor. Mentioned that Stoke-on-Trent is receiving a higher increase than other parts of the west midlands at 6.8%. Supported the T-level programme as a transformative scheme. Asked if it was wrong for the National Education Union to instruct teachers not to assess or mark work during the pandemic.

  • Mark Pritchard Con The Wrekin

    Called order on interventions and emphasised that contributions should remain within the context of the debate about funding for schools and colleges in the Midlands.

  • Nadia Whittome Lab Nottingham East

    I thank the Minister for giving way; I recognise that he speaks on this topic with a great deal of experience. In the midlands, four in five schools are set to have to cut their education provision to cover costs this coming year. Secondary school teachers left Nottingham schools at a rate of 33% in 2020, one of the highest rates in England. I ask the Minister whether he accepts that the situation is unsustainable and damaging children's education. Additionally, local authorities in England face a £2.4 billion black hole in special educational needs funding.

  • Theo Clarke Con Stafford

    Welcomed the Government's £1.5 billion further education capital transformation fund and highlighted Stafford College receiving £28 million for a new skills and innovation centre, which will foster digital and manufacturing skills.

  • Toby Perkins Lab Chesterfield

    The MP noted the Prime Minister's strategy for recruiting more maths teachers but pointed out that the Government is failing to meet its own targets. He highlighted the disparity between announcements and actual recruitment efforts. Pointed out that the Institute for Fiscal Studies reported the largest funding loss in further education sector compared to other sectors despite extra funding in 2020-21 being eroded by growth in student numbers. Concerned about the significant funding cuts affecting schools and colleges in the Midlands, including a 9% reduction in school spending per pupil, a 14% fall in college spending, and a 28% cut in sixth-form colleges. Emphasized the impact of these cuts on teachers who often buy equipment for their pupils and act as social workers due to poverty among students.

Government Response

Robert Halfon

Responded to concerns raised in the debate by highlighting significant investments in school and college funding. Noted that per-pupil funding for mainstream schools is increasing by 5.6% in 2023-24 compared with last year, and provided examples of specific funding increases for Coventry and other areas in the Midlands. Emphasised improvements in educational standards, apprenticeships, and investments in infrastructure and technology.

▸ Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy