Cash-strapped headteachers say schools are being 'set up to fail' by government under-funding
Exclusive research for ITV News has laid bare the financial crisis hitting schools
Headteachers feel they are "being set up to fail" and "children will be the ones to suffer" as their budgets are pushed to the brink, new research by ITV News reveals.
In a survey of nearly 250 school leaders, many said they were beyond the point of being able to balance the books and were left with no choice but to shed staff.
Eighty per cent of those who responded said they had already had to make cuts to get their budgets approved this year and more than 90% expected to in the future.
Teaching staff, support staff, pastoral care, special educational needs (SEN) support and extra curricular activities all face the chop as headteachers work out how to fund pay increases and rapidly rising energy and supplies costs.
Carolyn Ellis-Gage, headteacher at Parkside School, a special school in Norwich, said: "It's depressing. It's what can we peel back, what can we cut that will have the least impact on the pupils?
"It's absolutely heartbreaking because you come into a school like this because you know you're supporting the whole child.
"What we're doing is paring it down to the basics. Taking those opportunities away from the children means that their outcomes will not be as good."
The findings come against the backdrop of months of strike action by teachers, with unions pushing for better pay and conditions for a workforce they say have been "left with no option".
The Department for Education (DfE) insists it has increased funding for schools significantly - with an extra £2bn this year to help address increased costs.
"Their outcomes will not be as good", admits headteacher Carolyn Ellis-Gage
For Parkside School, that means scaling back musical therapy - something that gives a voice to their non-verbal students.
An after-school club that sees children with complex needs busy cooking in the kitchen will go completely.
It is a familiar story at many schools across the country.
Responding to ITV News Anglia's survey, one headteacher said: "As a head, I feel I am being set up to fail. I cannot implement the things I know are needed for my pupils."
Explore the responses from 250 headteachers for yourself in this interactive graphic
Another added: "I’ve never seen such high levels of stress in schools plus teachers fund so much out of their own pockets - if everyone stopped doing that, the system would implode. I’ve never felt so disillusioned with the state of the education system."
"Never have I been more concerned in my whole career," said a third. "This is affecting a whole generation and maybe even generations to come."
Marie Lally, the headteacher at Earls Barton School in Northamptonshire, said she had had sleepless nights trying to set her most recent budget - knowing that, without significantly more money, the children would suffer.
"Everybody in this school is very dedicated to helping the children and families of Earls Barton so we will continue to do that, but inevitably there will have to be cuts made, there will have to be changes to what we offer, unless the funding situation improves," she said.
"You've got inflation, the cost of paper, the cost of books, the cost of any school visits and trips that we have to pay, for the cost of our energy bills, all of those prices have risen. It's a worry for the future.
"An absolute last resort is cutting from the children but we're getting to the point where cutting from the children, larger class sizes, fewer teaching assistants, is the only way to survive.”
Like many of the headteachers who responded to the survey, she has already had to make tough decisions.
Class sizes in reception have increased from 23 to 29 and key stage two classes - for children aged between seven and 11 - no longer have teaching assistants.
Schools are still waiting to see what the pay award for teachers will be this year - something headteachers agree is greatly deserved.
Ms Lally has budgeted for 4% - but if the government approves the 6.5% being recommended by the independent pay review body it will cost an extra £26,000.
"The only way to save £26,000 is on a salary," she said. "You can't save it by ordering fewer pencils."
School leaders say last year's pay increase was only partially funded by the government - and failed to take into account the many other rising costs.
At Mayflower Primary School in Essex, it is energy prices that are pushing them to the brink.
They were paying around £30,000 a year for utilities but now face that bill every month - a 1,000% increase.
The IT teacher has resorted to entering competitions to win laptops because the school can no longer afford to replace the equipment.
Some schools have have to resort to entering competitions to get enough computers for their pupils
Windows are taped shut because they do not have the money to fix them and the library is a converted bus paid for by donations.
Headteacher Liz Bartholomew only managed to balance her budget this year because of cuts. Unless something drastically changes, she will be in deficit next year and it will be £330,000 by 2025.
She wants ministers to come and meet her - and has a direct challenge for them.
"Actually get into a school and see the impact it's having. Actually listen to the people at the chalkface," she said.
"Don't listen to advisers who've never been headteachers, who've never set foot in a school since they went to Eton.
"Actually come to a maintained primary school in a deprived area like ours and just see how tight things are face to face - because I don't think they really have any understanding whatsoever."
A spokesman for the DfE said the department had increased funding for schools, with an £2bn this year to meet increased costs.
Ministers say a typical primary school with 200 pupils can expect to receive around an extra £35,000 in funding. A typical secondary school with 900 pupils would receive an additional £200,000.
Schools can choose how they spend the additional funding, for example, on staffing, classroom materials, or other running costs.
Does your school have a story to tell? Email anglianews@itv.com
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know