The Autumn Statement delivered by chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced the government will invest a further £2.3 billion into schools next year and the year after.
The much-anticipated statement was set against the backdrop of the cost-of-living crisis and calls for increased support to help schools manage the economic climate in the UK where from 2010-2020 school spending fell by 9% after inflation. Tax threshold freezes and spending cuts were the focus of the wider announcement, and when it came to education, the pledge to invest an extra £4.6 billion in schools over the next two years is a move that will no doubt be welcomed by schools and the wider education sector.
Schools to receive an additional £4.6 billion in 2023 and 2024
It’s important to break down the reality of the promise. Treasury documents say that the increase is £2 billion after the removal of compensation for employer costs of the Health and Social Care Levy is taken into consideration. The 4% rise equates to more than £1,000 extra for every pupil by 2025 and the Institute for Fiscal Studies confirmed it will restore funding to 2010 levels.
Though it’s not yet clear how funding will be delivered to the sector, prioritising budget will be critical.
Effective safeguarding has never been more important
Though the news of additional funding will go some way to helping financially support schools in the years ahead, it is important to consider the wider implications that the ongoing cost of living crisis will continue to have on pupils and their families.
The chancellor’s official announcement that the UK is now in a recession signals the increasing financial pressure on families. Schools will be aware of the pressure that increasing financial hardship will have on families and must be prepared for the social and economic impact that this could have on pupils’ lives at home, particularly in lower income contexts. Although school students’ happiness and safety are not pre-determined by their financial situation at home, experiencing poverty can impact pupils’ health and wellbeing. The safeguarding network explains how poverty can impact children in a number of ways, from increased anxiety to impact on their educational attainment or being hungry throughout the day. For schools, it requires close and accurate monitoring of safeguarding concerns.
The current economic climate will impact staff too, with financial pressures likely to increase stress levels and affect their wellbeing. Financial pressures are also likely to have an impact on schools which risk facing staff shortages, and in turn the quality of pastoral care they can provide.
Investing in safeguarding software
By investing in safeguarding software, schools can ensure there is a consistent approach when it comes to monitoring wellbeing and safeguarding, to still allow students and staff to access the support they need.
Safeguarding software can help teachers and other members of staff log any concerns they may have about a child’s safeguarding, no matter how small. It allows you to effectively track, monitor and report safeguarding concerns and enables prompt interventions to keep young people safe and ensure they don’t fall through the gaps.
CPOMS is an easy-to-use system that can help ensure you always have the relevant safeguarding metrics, particularly at an economically challenging time like this. CPOMS StaffSafe enables you to monitor staff wellbeing, building up a picture of any safeguarding concerns so you can easily identify trends and act quickly.
For more information on how CPOMS or CPOMS StaffSafe can help you monitor safeguarding and wellbeing, get in touch with one of our team today.
