Headteachers fearful for teenage schooling

Chancellor George Osborne’s announcement that the schools budget will continue to be ringfenced was “somewhat misleading”, headteachers have said.
By The Newsroom
Published 21st Mar 2013, 08:45 BST

The protection only applies to under-16s, and excludes education for 16- to 19-year-olds, according to the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL).

They warned that post-16 education is already being “seriously squeezed”, with sixth forms and colleges forced to cut courses.

Mr Osborne said schools and health budgets would protected.

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But ASCL deputy general secretary Malcolm Trobe said: “We welcome the confirmation in today’s budget that school funding will be protected, but this is somewhat misleading in that it only applies to education to age 16.

“Options for 16- to 19-year-olds are being seriously squeezed by funding cuts and we have already warned that many school sixth forms and colleges will be forced to cut the number of courses on offer.

“In the long run small sixth-forms could become unviable but even large sixth-forms and colleges will face difficult decisions.”

He added: “It is a fact that funding for 16 to 19 study will be significantly lower for pre-16, and much lower than funding that succeeds it in higher education. The 16 to 19 funding dip is a growing and unwelcome anomaly. Given that the education participation age is rising to 18, this is a worrying trend.”