Budget 2007

21 March 2007
Commenting on the Chancellor’s Budget speech Steve Sinnott, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, Europe’s largest teaching union said:

In a very tough financial climate I recognise that the Chancellor has maintained his commitment to education. Any Government worth its salt has to understand that the United Kingdom can’t punch its weight in the world without the best possible standards in education.

I am delighted that the Chancellor is maintaining his commitment to narrow the gap between the amount spent on each pupil in the public and private sector. It is essential that there is no reduction in the rate of increase in expenditure per child. The Chancellor must make clear the target date for the achievement of equity for children in the state sector.

That said it is vital that the Government does not take its eye of the ball in spending terms and does not make extravagant commitments which will make unrealistic demands on schools. The Every Child matters agenda can’t be carried out on the cheap and school communities will oppose the allocation of additional responsibilities without the additional staff being found.

I welcome the Chancellors emphasis on practical personalised learning. One to one tuition has been denied to children from less well off backgrounds. This is a positive step that should lift the educational achievement of many children.

As a member of the Campaign to End Child Poverty we recognise the significant investment that the Government has made in this budget, we are pleased the Chancellor has listened to our campaign and recommitted the Government to keep its promise to millions of children in the UK. However we are concerned this budget won’t be enough to reach the 2010 target of halving child poverty and are calling on the Government to make further steps towards the necessary extra investment or risk missing the target altogether.