Harrogate school fears budget-driven cuts in essential resources following spiralling energy costs

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Schools and families are preparing for next week's return to the classroom - but the start of the new school term comes with a warning from some education experts of a looming financial crisis.

Spiralling energy costs, the increasing price of essential resources, and a promised staff pay rise are not being matched by government funding, according to one Trust.

Around 500 children, including nursery, are back on Wednesday, at Western Primary in Harrogate.

Tim Broad, Headteacher at Western Primary School, says that without intervention difficult decisions will have to be made about what resources will be cut back from children's learning.

Mr Broad said: "We have spent many years at this school building up what I consider to be an excellent service for our pupils and their families.

"I am incredibly proud to lead what is a fantastic team. My worries are that level of service is going to be hard to maintain."

Resources such as books, stationery, and staff development could come under consideration for cutbacks.

Richard Sheriff, Chief Executive of Red Kite Learning Trust, which oversees Western Primary, said: "We are going to do everything we can to try and protect young people from this and try to preserve the front line of the education system.

"But I do not think there is any way we can protect them for long.

He added: "They are going to notice this, far more than previous years when budgets have been tight - this is a genuine crisis."

The trust behind the school, and 12 others, blames two things for the cutbacks: increasing energy costs and providing a desperately needed national staff pay rise which it is claimed the government is only partially covering.

Mr Sheriff said "Government has to find a way to fund the education service properly.

"What we are facing now is a real crisis that cannot be put off until next year.

He added: "We need to find a proper budget solution for us. More cash now to meet these increasing demands."

A spokesperson for the Department for Education told us: "We are aware of the inflationary pressures facing schools and know that rising costs will impact them differently.

"We are increasing core funding by £4 billion this year alone and are also providing schools with tools to help them get the best value for money from their resources, including recommended deals for energy costs."