New research has revealed that 32 of York’s schools face cuts – meaning fewer teachers for more students.
The Schools Cuts alliance of education unions has released figures showing a fall of 15,000 secondary school staff across England at a time of rising pupil numbers.
And they say some of the largest staffing cuts are in the areas with the lowest average funding per pupil – including York.
The alliance’s analysis of the core school budgets makes plain how many city schools are going to be hit.
Staff reductions
Across England there has been an average loss of 5.5 staff members in each school since 2015 – 2.4 fewer classroom teachers, 1.6 fewer teaching assistants and 1.5 fewer support staff.
Mary Bousted, the joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “Our analysis of the Government’s figures now confirms what teachers and head teachers have been saying for the last two years: the cuts to education are damaging for children’s education.
“Schools are cutting back on teacher numbers and the pupil-to-teacher ratio is worsening.”
The general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, Paul Whiteman, said school budgets were “at breaking point”.
“The school funding crisis is real. Funding increases need to be in real terms, not in cash terms.”
Councillor Suzie Mercer, City of York Council executive member for education, children and young people, said: “York’s schools are recognised as some of the best in the country, with children getting a very good education and start in life.
“Our schools do a great job, consistently performing well above national averages, despite having less funding than other areas.”
Which schools are hit?
So which York schools have been hit, according to the Alliance’s calculations?
The tables below show the cuts per school – and per pupil – between 2015 and 2020. They are based on the figures on the School Cuts website here.
The biggest single cut fell on Huntington School, which loses out by £115,300.
And the worst hit school by student impact is Rufforth Primary, which loses £576 per pupil, followed by Tang Hall Primary, losing £559 per pupil.
Scroll horizontally to see all data
| School | Total loss by 2020 | Per pupil loss | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Badger Hill Primary | £16.2K | £84 | More pupils per teacher |
| Bishopthorpe Primary | £4.9K | £29 | More pupils per teacher |
| Burton Green Primary | £50.4K | £315 | More pupils per teacher |
| Carr Infant School | £36.2K | £145 | Class sizes have gone up |
| Carr Junior School | £39.3K | £140 | More pupils per teacher |
| Clifton Green Primary | £63.5K | £165 | Class sizes have gone up |
| Elvington CofE Primary | £10K | £67 | Class sizes have gone up |
| Fishergate Primary | £51.3K | £179 | More pupils per teacher |
| Haxby Road Primary | £80.3K | £444 | More pupils per teacher |
| Heworth CofE Primary | £1.5K | £10 | More pupils per teacher |
| Hob Moor Community Primary | £9.3K | £33 | Class sizes have gone up |
| Knavesmire Primary | £75.1K | £181 | Large class sizes |
| Naburn CofE Primary | £23.9K | £295 | Class sizes have gone up |
| New Earswick Primary | £17.4K | £96 | Class sizes have gone up |
| Osbaldwick Primary | £30.7K | £102 | Class sizes have gone up |
| Our Lady Queen of Martyrs RC Primary | £18.3K | £47 | Large class sizes |
| Park Grove Primary | £29.6K | £110 | Class sizes have gone up |
| Rufforth Primary | £53.6K | £576 | Class sizes have gone up |
| Scarcroft Primary | £11.1K | £32 | More pupils per teacher |
| St Barnabas CofE Primary | £25.2K | £166 | Class sizes have gone up |
| St George's RC Primary | £38.1K | £223 | Underfunded school |
| St Lawrence's CofE Primary | £5.2K | £27 | More pupils per teacher |
| St Mary's CofE Primary | £20K | £168 | Class sizes have gone up |
| Stockton-on-the-Forest Primary | £25.2K | £274 | Class sizes have gone up |
| Tang Hall Primary | £106.8K | £559 | Class sizes have gone up |
| Westfield Primary | £86.6K | £165 | More pupils per teacher |
| Woodthorpe Primary | £1.3K | £3 | Class sizes have gone up |
York Secondary schools hit
| School | Total loss by 2020 | Per pupil loss | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archbishop Holgate's | £107.5K | £96 | Class sizes have gone up |
| Huntington School | £115.3K | £98 | Class sizes have gone up |
| Manor CofE Academy | £63.6K | £62 | Class sizes have gone up |
| Millthorpe | £29.2K | £29 | Large class sizes |
| York High School | £54.7K | £74 | Class sizes have gone up |
Below are the schools which have not lost money. But the Schools Cuts alliance says even these have recorded larger class sizes or a worsened teacher-pupil ratio.
The York primary schools not expected to lose money
- Acomb Primary
- Archbishop of York’s Junior School, Bishopthorpe
- Clifton With Rawcliffe Primary School
- Copmanthorpe Primary
- Dringhouses Primary
- Dunnington CofE Primary
- Headlands Primary
- Hempland Primary
- Huntington Primary
- Lakeside Primary
- Lord Deramore’s Primary
- Poppleton Ousebank Primary
- Poppleton Road Primary
- Ralph Butterfield Primary
- Robert Wilkinson Primary
- Skelton Primary
- St Aelred’s RC Primary
- St Oswald’s CoE Primary
- St Paul’s CoE Primary
- St Wilfrid’s RC Primary
- Wheldrake with Thorganby CofE Primary
- Wigginton Primary
- Yearsley Grove Primary
The York secondary schools not expected to lose money
- All Saints RC
- Fulford
- Joseph Rowntree
- Vale of York Academy