NASUWT Newport is appalled by Newport City Council’s funding of schools.
Children here are valued less than they are elsewhere in Wales. This is backed up by multiple statistical analyses. And the situation is getting worse year on year.
Schools budgeted expenditure per pupil in Newport for 2023-24 was the lowest in Wales.
(Local Authority Budgeted Expenditure on Schools: 2023-24, Welsh Govt Statistical Bulletin)
Schools budgeted expenditure per pupil in Newport for 2022-23 was one but lowest in Wales.
(Local Authority Budgeted Expenditure on Schools: 2022-23, Welsh Govt Statistical Bulletin)
When challenged about its lack of funding of schools, Newport points to complexities with the budget. Unfortunately, this is just hiding behind the fact that education is not a priority for Newport City Council.
The impact of years of underfunding at Newport schools is being felt by teachers and learners across the City:
- Class sizes are too high here and it is commonplace to see classes in excess of 30 students. Years of redundancy windows have left our schools with pupil-teacher ratios that are detrimental to progress.
- Learners are being taught by unqualified teachers or cover supervisors for part of their provision. These colleagues, however esteemed, are no substitute for a qualified teacher.
- Many teachers are having to teach subjects they are not qualified to teach in order to save money and absorb staffing cutbacks.
- School buildings are falling into disrepair.
- Damaging TLR restructures have been carried out in order to save money, with the Classroom Teacher picking up the work.
NASUWT Newport urges Newport City Council to do what is right. Put our children first. Not last.
