This week’s small real terms funding increases for schools are welcome as any cuts would undermine Government’s plans and policies to tackle the major challenges the education system faces – particularly the worrying and persistent high levels of school absence which are still twice what they were pre-pandemic.
This comes as the Government has demonstrated consistent ambition to tackle the school attendance crisis – whether this be through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill or wider initiatives.
It is hard to say whether these small increases will be enough for schools to deliver the Government’s much welcome ambition to see support-first family-centric approaches to absence as mandated in Government’ guidance.
We look forward to discussing and seeing the next steps on addressing school attendance in the forthcoming Schools White Paper, where we’d like to see targeted investment to fund Whole Family Support approaches for schools as the missing piece in the Government’s approach to the school attendance crisis.
School-Home Support CEO, Jaine Stannard, said:
‘School-Home Support welcomes the lift to school budgets, which while small, will be welcome as school leaders continue to face eye watering costs. Any cuts to school budgets would undermine Government’s plans to tackle major challenges – particularly persistent high levels of school absence. It is too soon to tell whether these increases will be enough to encourage the system changes we need to see.
We look forward to engaging with the Government around the next steps in addressing the school attendance crisis, where we’d like to see targeted investment in Whole Family Support approaches for schools as the missing piece in the Government’s approach to tackling absence.’