Spring has sprung, which means it is now time for the UK Chancellor’s spring statement!
The statement covers topics like help with childcare costs for those on Universal Credit, helping the ‘economically inactive‘ back into work and more on skills bootcamps. For over 50s, there was the mention of returnerships that offer skills training that focuses on flexibility and takes previous experience into account, shortening the length of time someone will have to be in training.
In response to education support and investments, Jonathan Moore, Education Consultant at SMART Technologies says:
“Jeremy Hunt’s announcement today of increased investment for services supporting children and parents is much welcome and much needed. In addition to the cost of living and energy bill support, it’s positive to see a reformed childcare scheme that better supports working parents and further investment in upskilling young people with special needs and disabilities.
“These investments will be vital in strengthening support for children, protecting student wellbeing and enhancing the UK’s education system. However, the sector remains in crisis and there is still little detail as to how the £2.3bn investment for this year will be spent, or how the government is reacting to teachers' concerns. Teacher strikes are continuing throughout the UK, and the Government has not addressed these concerns in today’s budget.
“Teachers are calling out for greater support – and not just in the form of salary rises, but also when it comes to resources, support staff, and tools. We know teacher burnout is at an all-time high, particularly in the SEN sector where teachers are truly at breaking point. Staff are calling out for their demands to be urgently addressed so they can provide excellent learning experiences for students, whilst also having the necessary tools and wellbeing support at hand.
“Investment in staff, technology, and tools that can ease workloads and providing the necessary support will be crucial or we will only see burnout on the rise, more teachers leaving the profession, and the learning gap increasing as the disruption continues.
“Education defines all our futures. Ultimately, failing to address the above will have huge impacts on students, teachers, and broader school communities and will only hinder the UK’s growth.”
Read more about the announcement on FE News.