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Half of schools using Pupil Premium to plug budget gaps

Almost half of schools are using the Pupil Premium funding to plug gaps elsewhere in their budgets, polling has revealed.
Funding squeeze: Of the school leaders polled, 34% said they were cutting back on teaching staff for financial reasons, 74% said they were cutting teaching assistants, and 53% were cutting wider support staff - Adobe Stock

A third of schools are also cutting back on teaching staff and three-quarters are cutting teaching assistants in a bid to balance their books.

The survey findings from the National Foundation for Educational Research and commissioned by the Sutton Trust show the extent to which schools are struggling to make ends meet – with secondary schools seemingly suffering the most.

The survey involved 1,208 teachers and school leaders across primary and secondary schools.

Of the school leaders polled, 34% said they were cutting back on teaching staff for financial reasons, 74% said they were cutting teaching assistants, and 53% were cutting wider support staff.

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