NASUWT comments on the budget

Commenting on the Budget, Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of the NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union, said:

“After days of behind the scenes media briefings, teachers would be right to be underwhelmed by the Chancellor’s announcements today.

The Chancellor’s promise of fair and affordable pay rises over the next three years will not address the very acute pressures currently faced by teachers, following the 17% real terms cut to teachers’ pay over the last decade, rising cost of living pressures and, from next April, further increases in National Insurance Contributions.

“Today’s announcement by the Chancellor falls short of what is needed to address the deepening crisis in teacher morale.

“The Government must keep its promises, starting by giving the School Teachers’ Review Body a clear and unrestricted remit that is capable of restoring the value of teachers’ pay and ending the current teacher retention crisis.

“The commitment to restore per pupil funding in schools to 2010 levels is a clear admission of the Government’s record of cuts to school and education budgets over the last decade.

“Today’s announcement does not provide schools with the money they need now to meet the acute demands from pupils whose learning has been seriously disrupted by the pandemic.

“Today’s pledge to provide additional funding for education recovery still only brings spending on post-pandemic recovery to less than £5bn and is just a fraction of the £15 billion reportedly recommended by the Government’s former Education Recovery Commissioner.

“Schools and teachers are in need of immediate investment, not promises for the future, if they are to deliver the best opportunities and life chances for children and young people.”