1 June 2017
UNISON School cuts survey 2017
Executive summary
Background
For schools to be able to deliver the best possible education to children, the
education system needs to be properly resourced, and teaching and support staff
paid a decent wage, says UNISON.
The government is expecting schools to make £3billion pounds worth of
‘efficiency savings’ by 2020. Many schools have already had to cut their budgets
and are predicting that they will have to make further cutbacks.
Current cuts have meant some schools have had to ask parents and guardians to
pay a contribution for textbooks. Others have asked pupils to vacuum classrooms
at the end of the day.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said that school funding would fall by nearly
three per cent by 2021. The Conservative Party manifesto promises £1bn a year
after adjusting for inflation and a rise in students enrolled, but UNISON believes
this doesn’t go far enough. The Labour party has pledged to reverse cuts and
increase spending per pupil by six per cent over the course of the parliament.
To highlight the impact the cuts have had on pupils, staff and the general running
of schools, UNISON recently conducted a survey of almost 1,400 school
employees.
Survey method
In April 2017, UNISON carried out an online survey of administrative, finance
and business management staff who are responsible for school financial and
management systems, as well as staff, pupils, parents and outside organisations.
A total of 1,380 responded.
The survey was carried out to show the contribution and dedication of school
office employees in schools. UNISON believes their roles are vital to the smooth
running of schools, but that they are often too quickly dismissed as ‘back office’.
The survey also investigates how the cuts have affected children and young
people, staff, school resources and class sizes.
The results/findings
School office staff are more frontline than most people would expect and carry
out tasks that are often outside of their job descriptions. The survey shows their
work has a direct impact on pupil safety and well-being.
Half (50 per cent) the respondents worked in primary schools, (40 per cent) in
secondary schools, (four per cent) in special schools and the rest in pupil referral
units and schools providing both primary and secondary education. Half of the
respondents (51 per cent) were in community schools; 33 per cent in academies;
the remainder were from voluntary-aided, voluntary-controlled and trust
schools.
Impact on child safety and wellbeing

The majority of staff (95 per cent) have regular contact with pupils,
parents or carers (86 per cent) and more than three-quarters (78 per
cent) liaise directly with local authorities and charities on safeguarding
and support for children.

Seven in ten (71 per cent) said they check that people who visit schools
are safe to do so.

Two in five (41 per cent) organise security checks for new staff making
sure they have no previous criminal convictions.

More than half (55 per cent) said they administer medicines, health
support and first aid to pupils, and more than three in five (62 per cent)
keep medical records updated.

More than three in five (63 per cent) call parents about pupil welfare
issues such as when children are unexpectedly absent.
Impact of cuts on the workforce

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Almost half the respondents (47 per cent) said that administrative staff
had already been cut over the last year.
Nearly three-quarters of those still in post (74 per cent) have no choice
but to work additional unpaid hours to ensure the smooth running of the
school.
Some (six per cent) said they work more than eight hours a week beyond
their contracted hours, effectively adding an extra day to their working
week.
The top three areas of concern at work were workload (87 per cent), pay
(81 per cent) and job security (79 per cent).
Impact on the running of the school

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Three-quarters (76 per cent) said their work helps take the pressure off
teachers by reducing their workload.
Three-quarters (75 per cent) have built positive relationships with
parents – which means there is a direct line of communication between
them.
More than half (51 per cent) said they save the school money through
finding the best deals for equipment.

Almost half (46 per cent) said they help the school support pupils with
health needs.
 A third (33 per cent) said their work helps reduce risk of pupil accidents.
 Three in ten (31 per cent) said they make vulnerable learners feel safer.
Additional info -Recent TES FOI
A recent Freedom of Information request by the Times Education Supplement
has shown where the Department for Education has identified ‘potential savings’
of £3 billion. These include £1.15 billion of cuts to school support staff, which
includes £440m from education support staff like teaching assistants, and £750m
from other staff costs, which includes caretakers, administrative staff, supply
staff, training and staff-related insurance.
Support staff currently account for 23% of the budget in mainstream maintained
schools’ staffing costs, compared to 61% for teachers and other staff, which
means the cuts to support staff are disproportionate.
Conclusion
UNISON warns that further job cuts would mean key tasks currently carried out
by school support office staff could be left undone and that children would suffer
as a result as teachers and teaching assistants have to take on aspects of their
roles. I think it needs more here about the cuts being proposed – you could
mention the two academy chains and others that education might have.
UNISON is calling on the new government to reverse the £3billion pounds real
terms cuts and ensure children’s safety and education is put first. UNISON
believes that:
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By starving schools of funds the government is damaging the quality of
the education system.
Cuts to support staff are disproportionate as they account for 23 per cent
of the budge in mainstream maintained schools compared to 61 per cent
for teachers and other staff. Without their contribution pupil health,
safety and well-being would be more at risk.
Cuts to these roles could lead to schools breaching the law or allowing
people to slip through the net, putting pupil safety at risk.