Teach Secondary 13.8

THE SPEECH: ChancellordeliversAutumnBudget speech WHO? Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer WHERE? House of Commons WHEN? 30th October 2024 “I am today tripling investment in breakfast clubs to fund them in thousands of schools. I am increasing the core schools budget by £2.3bn next year, to support our pledge to hire thousands more teachers into key subjects, so that our young people can develop the skills that they need for the future. This government is committed to reforming special educational needs provision, to improve outcomes for our most vulnerable children and ensure the system is financially sustainable. To support that work, I am today providing a £1bn uplift in funding – a 6% real terms increase from this year. Schools’ roofs are crumbling, and millions of children are facing the very same backdrop as I did. I will be the Chancellor that changes that. So today, I am providing £6.7bn of capital investment to the Department for Education next year – a 19% real-terms increase on this year. That includes £1.4bn to rebuild over 500 schools in the greatest need, including St Helen’s Primary School in Hartlepool, Mercia Academy in Derby and so many more across our country. And we will provide a further £2.1bn to improve school maintenance, £300mmore than this year, ensuring that all our children can learn somewhere safe – including dealing with RAAC-affected schools in the constituencies of my Honourable Friends, the members forWatford [Matt Turmaine], Stourbridge [Cat Eccles], Hyndburn [Sarah Smith] and beyond. Alongside investment in new teachers and funding for thousands of new breakfast clubs, this government is giving our children and young people the opportunities that they deserve.” THE RESPONSE: NASUWTwelcomes education funding announcements FROM? Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of the NASUWT REGARDING? The government’s Autumn 2024 Budget Announcement WHEN? 30th October 2024 “We welcome the government’s commitments to education and public services set out in the Budget today, whichmarks a step change in approach by the new government. The Chancellor has had to make some tough choices in the context of the acute pressure on public finances, but it is clear that the government has chosen to invest in our children’s future and our education system as a priority.” Balancing the books Reductions in pupil numbers, plus a recent change in government to one less committed to the drive towards academisation, have resulted inMATs facing a very different political and financial landscape over the coming years.Thanks to a new report produced by IMPSoftware, drawing on budget forecasts fromover 260MATs for the 2024/25 and 2026/27 financial years,we can now get a sense of the numbers involved. The headline stat is that 37%ofMATs are projected to be holding revenue reserves of less than 5%within the next three years – low enough to indicate financial vulnerability in the eyes ofThe Education and Skills Funding Agency.MATs in the survey primarilymade up of primaries expect to see a decline in pupil numbers of almost 2%by 2026/27 – which, combinedwith a forecasted 17% rise in staffing costs over the next three years, has resulted in primaryMATs predicting a near 5% cutback in teacher numbers and 6% reduction inTAs. The outlook is slightly less bleak for majority secondaryMATs,which are currently forecasting a 1% reduction in teacher numbers and a near 2%contraction inTA numbers. According to Leora Cruddas CBE, Chief Executive of the Confederation of School Trusts,which supported the report’s publication,“ We know the funding landscape is challenging and balancing the books is a never-ending task, but this report equips us for the first time with a trust-specific viewof the sector, the scale of the challenge, and how togetherwe can tackle it head on. ” SPEECHES AND CORRESPONDENCE Forget the media-friendly soundbites – what else was in those announcements and letters you missed? 20 NOVEMBER 2024 Schools & Academies Show | 21 NOVEMBER 2024 5th Annual Dyslexia Conference Show | 22-24 JANUARY 2025 Bett SAVE THE DATE 20 NOVEMBER 2024 Schools &Academies Show NECBirmingham schoolsandacademiesshow.co.uk Back for another stint at the NEC is this fixture of the education events calendar, offering lots in the way of knowledge- sharing, advice sessions and inspiring keynotes.This year’s event will be sharing exhibition space on the daywith both the EdTech Summit and the Independent Schools Conference, making formore networking opportunities than ever before. 22-24 JANUARY 2025 Bett London ExCeL uk.bettshow.com Januarywill once again see this long-running stalwart of the education show circuit set up shop in ExCeL London for three days of keynotes, workshops,meetings and encounters with cutting-edge edtech around the event’s extensive exhibition space.With this yearmarking Bett’s 40 th anniversary, visitors can expect an evenmore positive and celebratory air than usual. 21 NOVEMBER 2024 5thAnnual Dyslexia Conference Holiday Inn Liverpool – CityCentre positivedyslexia.co.uk/events Individuals with dyslexia, parents and education professionals will find plenty of insights, advice and ideas at this in-person event.Organised by the dyslexia awareness organisation Positive Dyslexia, the daywill see a series of expert speakers addressmatters relating to dyslexia definitions, spelling strategies and the impact of targeted interventions carried out by specialists versus non-specialists. 07 teachwire.net/secondary N E WS | N O V/ D E C