Damian Hinds blames staff turnover for school funding pressure

The education secretary faced discontent from headteachers in England over school funding as he sought to win over the profession by promising to reduce their workload and avoid introducing new exams or major reforms.

In his first major speech since taking over the role in January, Damian Hinds acknowledged to the Association of School and College Leaders annual conference on Saturday that funding was tight for schools, but his efforts to blame staff turnover were met with rumbles of disbelief.

“I understand why, for everyone in this room, the funding of our schools and colleges is such an important topic,” Hinds said, in response to a question from Geoff Barton, ASCL’s general secretary.

“It has been tough, funding is tight, I don’t deny that at all. I know there have been particular funding and cost pressures as well over the last couple of years. But one of those cost pressures, of course, comes from staff turnover, where you’re having to replace members of staff who have left. That incurs recruitment costs as well as the general upheaval that comes with that for the school or college.”



Source: theguardian