Increasing per Pupil Funding for schools- Time to Put Children First

It’s time to reverse Conservative Cuts

Make Esher and Walton Schools a top priority - stop education budget cuts and increase per pupil funding, and SEND and mental health provision for children and young people, in every school instead.

Our education system is struggling to function after a decade of Conservative cuts. As a mum of four children and a vice-chair of governors at a local primary school, I have seen the impact of this first hand.

Per-pupil spending on schools has been cut in real terms for the first time since the 1990s, the number of teaching assistants in secondary schools has fallen by 13% since 2011 and more than 200 schools in England have cut short the school week or are actively consulting on it. Teachers’ pay has been dramatically cut and with the drastic reduction in local government funding, vital SEND and mental health services are overstretched and cannot provide children and their families with the support they need.

In Esher and Walton, schools have lost an average of £104/per pupil since 2015 and Surrey’s SEND provision has experienced a 55% increase in demand with no additional funding to support it. (County Councils Network, July 2019)

The Liberal Democrats will put an extra £7 billion into our schools so that we can reverse the cuts, and deliver increased per pupil funding.

We believe in our children’s futures and we demand better funding for our schools.