MORE than half (53%) of school leaders in Wales are predicting a budget deficit this academic year amid a financial crisis which is forcing many to cut services and staff including teachers. 

The bleak finding – nearly double the 29% who reported a deficit last year – comes after school leaders’ union NAHT Cymru surveyed its members on funding. More than a quarter (27%) said they were predicting a deficit for the first time ever in 2024/25. Every single one said they did not receive sufficient funding to meet the needs of all their pupils fully. 

NAHT’s report – Falling Short: The Deepening School Funding Crisis in Wales – found school leaders are having to take drastic action. 

More than a quarter (28%) are reducing the number or hours of teachers, nearly six in ten (59%) are leaving posts empty, and 55% are reducing teaching assistant hours. 

Compared with 2021, when NAHT asked school leaders similar questions, they are now around twice as likely to have to be taking these measures. 

Other cuts include delaying repairs, refurbishment, or general capital spending (45% of school leaders), reducing non-educational support and services for children – such as educational psychologists, behaviour support, social workers, and school liaison officers (29%), reducing or changing the curriculum offer(15%) and not investing in staff professional development and training (52%).  

Only three per cent said they didn’t need to make savings, compared to a fifth three years ago. 

The survey shows a range of issues are conspiring to fuel the funding crisis, all of which have worsened over the last three years – from support for pupils with additional learning needs, cited by 88% of school leaders, to inflation and increased salaries (55%), supply cover 52%) and changes to local funding formulae (25%).  

Nearly three in ten (29%) blamed expenses incurred due to inaccessible or insufficient local authority school services. Separately, almost eight in 10 (79%) reported an increase in parents or carers seeking help due to the cost of living, and close to half (48%) highlighted support for pupils whose mental health had deteriorated. 

Laura Doel, national secretary of NAHT Cymru, said: “School leaders simply cannot go on doing more with less. They didn’t sign up to this job to set deficit budgets, cut spending on pupils and lay off teachers and support staff. In the three years since our last survey, the change for the worse is alarming. 

“We were shocked that school funding didn’t feature in the first minister’s priority list when she set out her plans for government earlier this week.  

“Schools need more resources to allow them focus on driving up standards rather than firefighting increasingly worrying holes in their budgets. 

“At the moment, schools and local authorities in Wales are facing really unpalatable choices and we need to work together not only to argue for proper funding but also to identify sustainable, innovative solutions to this crisis.” 

NAHT Cymru says the Welsh Government’s ongoing review aimed at replacing the 22 different local authority funding formulae with one coherent system must end the postcode lottery around how much individual schools receive and ensure greater transparency around funding. 

Chris Parry, president of NAHT Cymru said: “This report highlights the severe impact of financial shortfalls on schools across Wales. School leaders are caught between a rock and a hard place, being forced to cut staff, reduce support services, and compromise essential learning resources simply to stay afloat.  

“These findings should serve as a wake-up call for the Welsh Government about the need for immediate action. The funding crisis threatens the quality of education, and without a clear, strategic response, schools will be unable to provide the support that pupils and staff need. A long-term solution is essential.” 

Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “These truly dire findings should set alarm bells ringing for everyone with a stake in children’s education – from parents and carers to local and national politicians.

“Dedicated school leaders struggling with fewer resources amid mounting costs and pressures are at their wits end as they try to maintain a high-quality education for pupils while being forced into completely unpalatable cuts. 

“It is simple not sustainable and is putting educational outcomes at risk – not just for disadvantaged pupils who need the most help, but across the board. Something has to give.” 

THE SPARC Alliance recently hosted an information day at RWE’s Pembroke Net Zero Centre (PNZC), inviting nine secondary school teachers to learn about the latest green technology developments in Pembrokeshire.

Members including RWE, Blue Gem Wind, Floventis (Cierco Energy), Port of Milford Haven, Ledwood Engineering, ERM, and Morgan Sindall Construction delivered presentations on Green Hydrogen, Ports, Floating Offshore Wind, Engineering, and Sustainable Construction. Newly appointed Patron, CEO Luciana Ciubotariu, Celtic Freeport, spent the day with the teachers and toured the impressive PNZC site.

Ben Williams and Dr Mark Picton from RWE jointly commented, “The day aimed to equip the newly appointed SPARC Practitioners with knowledge about Net Zero’s positive impact in Pembrokeshire, the evolving job market, and future prospects — highlighting the potential rise in high-value technical jobs across the region”.

STEM teachers among the SPARC Practitioners welcomed the opportunity to enhance their knowledge, intending to integrate local Net Zero advancements into their classrooms. This initiative aims to inspire young female learners to consider careers in sustainable power, renewables, and construction — fields they might not have otherwise explored.

The SPARC Practitioners receive support from the Alliance’s full membership and a Schools/Industry Liaison, Holly Skyrme of Marine Energy Wales and Pembrokeshire College. Industry engagement is a crucial component to complement classroom learning, encouraging young female participation.

Starting in September, the SPARC Alliance programme offers bite-sized learning and careers education for 12–14-year-olds. The ‘Project Influencer’ unit culminates in an inter-school competition and prize-giving event next July ‘25. Additionally, the Alliance, which includes Pembrokeshire College, plan to launch a mentoring programme for post-16 females as part of the initiative.

For more information about the SPARC Alliance, please contact: [email protected]

NEYLAND Community School is proud to have achieved Trauma Informed School status, underlining the school’s commitment to supporting pupils to learn and flourish.

A Trauma Informed School (TIS) is one that equipped to support children with trauma or mental health problems which can act as a barrier to learning. 

To achieve the TIS status, the school had to demonstrate the implementation of the Protect, Relate, Regulate and Reflect principles.

Applicants for the Trauma and Mental Health Informed Award must have completed TISUK staff training and demonstrate the use of emotionally available adults to support children who have experienced trauma.

Following a thorough application, a member of the TIS team visited the school for the day to witness the provision on offer, the ethos of the school, and talk with parents/carers, children and staff.

They also visited classrooms and witnessed key times of the school day such as of the start of the day and lunchtimes. 

The report following the visit and confirming TIS status, said: “Neyland Community Primary School provides a safe, caring and nurturing environment in which all children are supported to flourish and feel happy and safe as they learn.

“The children are happy because they are supported by every member of staff from the minute they arrive at school to when they leave.”

The report concluded: “Children are able to talk confidently and knowledgably about topics related to their well-being and mental health and are supportive of one another – they love their school, dream big and work hard!”

The school’s use of a walking bus, where teachers collect children from different parts of the town to walk together to school was highlighted as best practice.

The walking bus had reduced absences and late arrivals and provided a positive start to the day with an opportunity to talk to adults on the way to school.

Neyland Community School Headteacher Clare Hewitt said: “We are incredibly proud of this award and to be recognised for our Trauma Informed practice. We have been developing this approach over the last few years, it takes time and doesn’t happen by accident.

“It is a culture and an ethos that we pride ourselves on for all our children, families and staff that makes Neyland a very special place to be.”

James White, Pembrokeshire County Council’s Head of Engagement & Inclusion, added: “Neyland have been a trailblazer for the Trauma Informed approach from the beginning, and it is great to see their work being recognised. 

“I have been particularly impressed with how the whole staff group and pupils in the school have taken up the work, as well as the senior leaders”.

Pictured above: Neyland Community School pupils hold the Trauma Informed School plaque. Pictured with the young people are (left to right): Clare Hewitt (Headteacher), Gemma Morris (Assistant Headteacher), Chris Griffiths (Assistant Headteacher / ALNCo) and James White, Council Head of Engagement & Inclusion.