Autumn Budget – School Budget Increase

During the Autumn 2022 budget statement, The UK government made a surprising announcement regarding the education sector.

Extra Boost

The Autumn Statement announced an extra £2.3bn per year extra for schools. The rise equates to an average of £1,000 more for every pupil by 2025.
In his statement Jeremy Hunt declared that the additional boost was to say “thank you to school staff” and “thank you for your brilliant work – we need it to continue”.
However, the good news was finished with a devastating blow for the sector with the announcement that the government’s Energy Bill Relief Scheme is “not-sustainable” and may not continue past the end of March 2023.

In Real Terms

Unfortunately, while the boost in the budget will make an incredible impact on many schools, there will need to be a lull before any further spending can begin. With energy prices and basic supplies still increasing, and the risk of the energy relief scheme not continuing, the increased budget may simply take schools back to where they were previously. However, this still leaves the sector in a better position financially than it recently has been.

Where To Invest

If you have followed our last few articles, you are already aware that the government and the education sector are calling out for more SEN spaces to be made available in mainstream schools. And while the budget is increasing, it is highly unlikely to be enough to take on an additional, pre-qualified workforce.
This means that for many schools it is time to invest in the workforce they currently have and upskill their Teaching Assistants to allow them to work with SEND. Take a look at our Level 3 Teaching Assistant & SEN qualification or our Mental Health Bundle to find out more about the courses that we offer.

If you would like to invest in your workforce and upskill your Teaching Assistants, please contact the team at The Learning College today.