Commenting on the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s speech at Labour Party Conference, Matt Wrack, General Secretary of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, said:

"We welcome today's announcement to fund new school libraries, alongside the Chancellor's commitment to providing opportunity to young people through college, apprenticeships and work placements. Reasonable adjustments must be taken into account to make sure the programme is accessible for all eligible young people.
 
"Increased social housing and housing provision is also welcome. Too many homeless children live in tiny, cramped hotel rooms, deprived of space to do homework or rest for the school day ahead. Teachers in many areas of the UK struggle to afford homes close to their schools due to skyrocketing property prices. We must have affordable homes for our dedicated public service professionals.

"Depreciating public service funding is still the elephant in the room. Children cannot make it to further education or work without first succeeding at school, and schools desperately need more public funding. If the Chancellor wishes to offer equal opportunities to working class children, she must start there.

"1 in 4 local authority maintained schools and 1 in 5 academies cannot afford the 1% contribution required for September's teacher pay award. Redundancies are already taking place, with experienced teachers lost to children, schools, and often to the teaching profession. Unless something changes fast, this downward spiral will continue and pupils and teachers will suffer as a result.

"In her upcoming Budget, we call for the Chancellor to prioritise public service funding.  A wealth tax on the richest would raise billions per year. A greater burden must fall on the profiteers, the unscrupulous employers, and those who can comfortably afford to pay more - not those struggling to get by."