More than 200 Portsmouth teachers to lose jobs by 2019, says NUT

There will be more than 200 fewer teachers in Portsmouth's schools by 2019, it has been claimed.

According to data collated by the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Association of Teachers & Lecturers (ATL), Portsmouth’s schools face a funding cut worth £8,052,952, and a cut of 216 teachers.

This will mean £337 less is spent for every pupil at a state school over the year.

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To see the cuts which could affect your child’s school go to the NUT’s School Cuts website.

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The figures relate to the proposed new funding formula which has been put forward by the government.

The cuts are being blamed on the new national funding formula, which would trigger changes to the way money is allocated to schools in England.

The NUT say that the government’s ‘refusal to allocate additional money to schools’ means that while some will gain from the changes, many schools will lose substantial amounts of their existing funding.

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According to the data, schools in the rest of Hampshire (excluding Southampton) will face a combined cut of £52,870,044 (£318 per pupil) and 1419 teachers leaving their jobs.

In Southampton the combined cut will be £11,154,782 (£382 per pupil) and 299 less teachers.

The NUT and ATL claim that 98 per cent of schools across the UK will lose out under the changes, leaving them with increased class sizes, loss of school staff, and cuts to extra-curricular activities and resources.

Kevin Courtney, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: ‘Every single MP in England has reason to be worried about our latest analysis which shows how every constituency will be adversely affected by the government’s recently-announced funding proposals.

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Schools are already on their knees trying to make ends meet. Budgets have been cut to the bone and decisions such as increasing class sizes and losing staff have already been made.

‘To avert this national scandal, government must reassess its plans and make substantial new funding an urgent priority so that all schools have sufficient money to run an effective education system.’

But the Department for Education has disputed the figures, released this week by the unions, and claim more than half of England’s schools will receive a cash boost because of the proposed funding change.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: ‘These figures are fundamentally misleading.

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‘School funding is at its highest level on record and will be over £40bn in 2016-17.

‘They have completely ignored the fact that as pupil numbers rise so will the amount of money schools receive.

‘To suggest that we are taking money out of the system is simply incorrect. What the unions are doing is blurring two separate debates – the total level of funding for schools and the distribution of that funding.’

Portsmouth City Council and Southampton City Council are both unitary authorities, which means they have responsibility for their local schools, while schools in other areas are managed by Hampshire County Council.

The consultation on the proposed funding measures will run until 22 March 2017.