School energy support is not enough to solve crisis, Essex head warns

A head teacher whose school cannot afford textbooks said the new government energy support was not enough to solve the crisis.

Vic Goddard is head of a trust made up of four schools in Harlow, Essex, that are struggling with energy bills.

"Unfortunately it won't get close to solving the funding crisis during the six months let alone when it stops," he said.

The government said the support package would be reviewed in three months.

Ministers said the six-month scheme would equate to a monthly saving of £4,000 for a school paying £10,000 a month for energy.

But Mr Goddard, head of Passmores Cooperative Learning Community, said the time limit meant continuing uncertainty for schools, which have also been hit by an unfunded pay award for staff.

Pay for most teachers in England is rising by 5% this year, which has to be paid for by schools out of existing budgets, leaving the trust with a deficit of about £500,000 before any extra energy costs.

As a result, the trust was having to stop subsidising school trips, providing pupils with laptops, buying new textbooks and replacing staff who leave.

"The facts are that the energy costs are just a part of the funding issues facing schools," Mr Goddard said.

"The unfunded wage increase has always been the biggest additional cost as most schools spend between 80 and 90% on wages.

"That compounded by the years of real terms funding cuts makes the job of balancing the books impossible for thousands of schools."

He added: "The energy support is merely a sticking plaster on one of the funding issues. It still falls way short of what is needed to ensure this generation of children have the same opportunities as previous young people."

A Department for Education (DFE) spokesman said: "We understand that schools, much like wider society, will face cost pressures due to increased energy prices, which is why all schools will benefit from the energy relief scheme, capping how much schools need to spend on their energy and giving them greater certainty over their budgets over the winter months.

"Core school funding is increasing by £4bn this year compared to 2021-22, and all schools can access a range of tools through our school resource management programme to help them get the best value from their resources, including recommended deals for energy costs and services related to energy."

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