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(UK) Portsmouth: Cuts to education; more kids with special needs

Feb 21, 2022, Portsmouth News: Majority of Portsmouth schools face shortfall in government funding as millions of pounds cut to education in the city, suggests union data - which says one Southsea secondary facing £1,100 [$1,500] loss per pupil https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/education/portsmouth-schools-facing-funding-shortfall-suggests-union-data-3574998

S. coast of England

Tens of thousands of city students could be seeing less money put into their education, according to research compiled by School Cuts - a national campaign which says it is calling on parliament to take immediate action to protect children's education. Data calculated by the campaign suggests that the majority of schools across the city are facing a shortfall in government funding - as one headteacher has said that the priority should be ‘doing the best for Portsmouth children’. With more than two-thirds of schools (77 per cent) estimated to face cuts, the figures suggest that Portsmouth is facing a shortfall of £10.2 million in 2021 and 2022…. Penny Mordaunt, Conservative MP for Portsmouth North, says that the information on the School Cuts website appears to be incorrect. She said that funding in the area increased by £3.7m in 2021-22 in comparison to the previous academic year, with a boost of £149 per pupil - an increase of 3.1 per cent…. School Cuts estimates that Portsdown Primary School is experiencing a shortfall of £301,359 - or £767 per pupil. Mr Vaghela said: ‘The funding is a complicated situation more than just the numbers - it’s a bigger conversation. ‘Where there’s a falling birthrate, there’s fewer children coming to our schools, and schools are just having to manage on these budgets.’ School Cuts argues that the 59 primary and secondary schools across the area are both being affected by the cuts, with secondaries hit slightly harder. Schools for pupils aged 11 and over are facing an average per pupil loss of £374, while students at infant, junior, and primary settings facing an average loss of £348 each…. ‘Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are particularly affected as funding has consistently failed to keep pace with the growth in numbers of young people with Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).


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