NUT comment on Nick Clegg's `Fairness Premium`

Friday, 15 October 2010 12:00 AM

Commenting on the Deputy Prime Minister's announcement today of £7bn for a 'fairness premium' across the Spending Review period, Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers' union, said;

"While claiming that supporting the poorest pupils is a priority, many of the cuts that are either in place or coming down the line will adversely affect parents and pupils on the lowest income.

"Nick Clegg is right to focus on early years funding. The attainment gap between the rich and poor widens from a very young age. The Government must however remember that this gap gets wider and wider as pupils progress throughout their school career. Cutting central support services to schools, one to one tuition and the expansion of free school meals will have a massive impact on the abilities of schools to give every child the care and practical support they need.

"The aspiration for every child having an equal chance is somewhat pointless when the coalition government is pressing ahead with the socially divisive academies and Free Schools programme, and putting a university education beyond the means of many.

"Equally worrying is the fact that there is still no clear indication where this funding will be coming from and if the education budget will suffer as a consequence.

"Reinstating policies which ensure a good local school for every child operating within the local authority family of schools and recognising that cutting the education budget will be detrimental to all children and young people should be the focus of the coalition government."

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For further details contact Caroline Cowie on 0207 380 4706 or 07879480061

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