Three fifths of schools in poorest areas use budgets to prevent pupil hunger

The poll, carried out by Teacher Tapp, found that school leaders working in the most disadvantaged areas are currently using their school budget to purchase:

• Additional food for hungry pupils (60%) – double that of the most affluent schools (30%).  
• School uniforms / clothing for pupils in need (68%) – compared to 40% of the most affluent schools.  
• Sanitary wear (46%) – compared to 27% of the most affluent schools.  
• Toothbrushes and toothpaste (18%) – nearly four times more than affluent schools (5%).

More than a third of schools (38%) are also having to use their school budgets to instigate absentee interventions. This jumps to one half of secondary schools (49%).

It is no surprise therefore that most teachers (60%) think the government should increase funding in all schools, but weight towards schools serving disadvantaged communities.

When asking teachers which issues are most affecting pupils because of tightening budgets, the poll found:

• Three quarters (76%) report that pupils with special educational needs (SEN) are not receiving adequate support. This jumps to 85% for primary schools.
• Almost three fifths (59%) report that their workload is too heavy to teach effectively.
• More than two fifths (41%) report that disadvantaged pupils are not receiving adequate support.
• A third (32%) cannot afford to hire new teaching staff.

The charity is calling for urgent action to reduce child poverty. They argue that while the Child Poverty Taskforce has great potential to make lasting and much-needed change- schools and teachers must be central to the development and delivery of any strategy due to their frontline experience.

In next week’s Budget, Teach First is calling on the Chancellor to increase school funding and weight it towards schools serving low-income communities to improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. Sufficient funding should also be made available for schools to hire and train specialist teaching staff for the growing levels of SEN need in schools.

Teach First also believe that investing properly in our schools will help to ease the teacher recruitment crisis. Previous research by the charity found that a third (36%) of Gen Z said a general lack of funding in schools and education is a main disadvantage of being a teacher.

Russell Hobby, CEO of Teach First, said:

"Child poverty is eroding our children’s futures. They can’t learn if they’re hungry or avoid school because they lack basic necessities. Schools and teachers are stepping up, of course, but this shouldn’t be their job. Ending child poverty is not only morally right, it is the key to higher standards and prosperity for all.

“We encourage the Chancellor to tackle these issues in next week’s Budget. By doing so we can create a fairer and higher performing education system where all students have the opportunity to reach their full potential."

Mark Avoth, Principal of The Bourne Academy, Bournemouth, said:

“Our secondary school sits within one of the highest areas of deprivation in the country. Particularly since the pandemic, we’re seeing a growing and urgent necessity to provide basic needs for our most vulnerable students. This ranges from giving free breakfast to all students, to providing appropriate clothing for those who don’t have it. Recently we supplied numerous sets of uniform to students who were rain-soaked whilst walking to school without appropriate coats.

“Whilst more must be done to tackle child poverty nationwide, schools serving deprived communities need to see more funding most urgently. Greater resources would be transformative – we’re doing our best to accommodate increasing costs and wider societal issues, but without the right support our staff will be stretched to breaking point, and we’ll struggle to ensure all our students can succeed equally to fulfil their potential.”

Media Contacts: For more information and interviews, please contact the Teach First press office on 020 3862 8000 (dial 4 for press), or email press@teachfirst.org.uk.

About Teacher Tapp: Research was conducted by daily survey app Teacher Tapp. Teacher Tapp is a daily survey app that asks over 7,000 teachers questions each day and reweights the results to make them representative. Teacher Tapp is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.

About Teach First: Teach First is an education charity committed to giving children facing the biggest barriers the chance to fulfil their potential. It backs the schools with the toughest challenges. The charity finds and trains teachers, develops school leadership teams and connect schools with networks of diverse expertise and opportunities to create real change.

Since launching in 2003, the charity has now placed over 20,000 teachers and leaders, has more than 150 headteachers in its alumni, and has supported over two million pupils.

Those on the flagship Training Programme commit to a minimum of two years at their partner school - gaining a fully-funded Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) and earning a salary whilst they train. More than half then stay on for a third year, where they have the option to top up their qualification to a master’s. Over 60% of all the teachers who’ve completed training since 2003 are still currently teaching.