More money for potholes than schools in the Budget

[noblegiraffe]

£420 million pledged to spend on fixing potholes. A one-off £400 million for schools to buy “the little extras they need”.

It works out at about £10,000 per primary and £50,000 per secondary.

FFS Phil, “little extras”? It’s proper funding that we need. Sure more glue sticks and board markers will be welcome, but it won’t bring back the teachers, TAs and support staff who have been made redundant, nor reinstate the GCSE and A-levels that have been axed.

Patronising pat-on-the-head nonsense.

Hear hear. The "little extras" phrase took my breath away. How out of touch can a government possibly be.

It's so, so strange, isn't it? Almost like the stories want working class children to fail.

There there, chick. Ive given you a little extra from the housekeeping this week to buy yourself something lovely to cheer you up. I am a good 1940s husband.

With my share, I am going to buy a red pen.

I mentioned this to my teenage daughters over dinner tonight. Without missing a beat, they rattled off a coherent list of shortages that betrays just how aware our students are that schools are under funded. Yes, it included pens and glue sticks. But they also mentioned specialist subject teachers.

I'm disturbed to realise how aware my children are that their Government is not prioritising spending on their education.

‘Little extras’ like toilet paper, maybe? www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/school-theresa-mays-constituency-begging-12707850

I think I’m going to spend my share on a colour printout of Phil Hammond’s face. I’ll spend my own money on a dartboard to pin it on.

Not even little extras for Alternative Provision...

Am I right it is only capital spending so it couldn't be used on salary even if a school wanted to recruit (though they'd have to supplement it).

Oh god Fallen do you get nothing?

The thing with recruitment is that even if you could spend the £50k on hiring someone, it’s a one-off payment so it would only be a one-year contract.

I suppose their argument is there are more potholes than pupils (in Surrey anyway )

Well if parents actually pulled their fingers out and paid for their own children’s educations it wouldn’t be an issue would it? State schools were designed for children whose parents were too poor or too selfish to pay for an education. It would seem like that is most parents these days. If parents actually donated/where charged a reasonable and affordable amount to their school many schools would have no funding issues and then he government would only need to find money for schools in poor areas. Its unreasonable to expect the tax payer to foot the bill, there just isn’t enough to cover it. Parents need to grow up and start taking responsibility for their child’s education. If you can’t/won’t send you child to a private school theyuoushouldgive the money you save to state schools instead of spending it on holidays and x boxes.

racecar that isn't the current understanding of state education in the UK. Universal taxation covers universal education through primary and secondary school. You can opt out if you wish to but there is no expectation of this.

If Racecardriver’s parents paid for her education, they should be asking for their money back.

Just been on twitter and it seems that teachers are inexplicably not delighted at this ‘little extras’ windfall. There was a suggestion that this may be the first time that handing over £400 million has resulted in a loss of goodwill.

The wording is bizarre. The only explanation I’ve seen that makes sense is that the government has given up on getting the education vote (or indeed the vote of any parent with kids in state education) and has chosen the wording to give the impression to those with no skin in the game that education is indeed healthily funded and this is simply the cherry on top. The ‘teachers should try living in the real world’ brigade will just see this and nod smugly.

No one would dare say police or NHS funding was for the ‘little extras’.

Racecar has to be Xenia. There can’t be two of you!

I wonder how the £400 million for little extras stacks up against the money teachers have paid from their own pockets to resource their classrooms.

The problem is - there is always something more important than potholes.

But actually, we still need to fix potholes. It’s crazy to imply that the chancellor doesn’t think education is important. He is literally banking on an educated workforce. He thinks it is important.

But surely you can provide your dc with stationery?

Little extras’ like toilet paper, maybe

Yet another school claiming they cannot afford to buy toilet rolls.

From the school's home page:

Last year we took part in the following competitions/festivals: hockey, tag rugby, tennis, football, netball, cricket, athletics, dance, orienteering, cross country, fencing and bench ball. No wonder we were awarded the Sports Mark Gold once again last year

Our music curriculum is outstanding ... The Y4s are very lucky to have free instrument tuition; all pupils are provided with a violin for the year

Languages too are important to us and in their journey through the school they have a wide range of exciting and engaging activities. The children learn Latin in Year 3, Spanish in Year 4, Japanese in Year 5 and French in Year 6

The PTA, who continue to work cheerfully and tirelessly to provide those extra resources that make our school unique, are a real asset and the school would be a poorer place without them in so many ways. We could not maintain the swimming pool without their contribution and how many schools have their own pirate ship? They raise around £20,000 every year-an amazing amount.This year we hope to buy soft touch TVs to enhance our curriculum teaching

What’s your point, Clavinova - the PTA raises a bunch of money for extra resources and that’s proof that the school can afford toilet paper?

Anyway, back in the real world my school has lost teaching assistants, made teachers redundant, cut A-level and GCSE subjects, reduced the teaching of art and technology subjects. Department-wise we can’t afford textbooks for the new GCSE, our photocopying budget has been slashed, the school is freezing as the heating is turned off at lunchtime (great in the winter if you have marking to do after school - try marking in gloves). But it must all be lies, right Clav?

Again ???

Ignore that ! Posted on the wrong thread ffs

The 'little extras' comment really grated.

Trying to find a good analogy. It's like getting money to buy extra Christmas decorations for a house you can't afford to heat. Or for fluffy dice in a car with only 3 wheels.

It’s buying a bow to wrap and empty box.

My mum is a primary school headteacher and has been told she has to lose £50k again next year, so her deputy head who currently deals with all SEN issues will have to take a class of 36. Last year she had to remove 4 TAs and all midday supervisors.

This government is so obscenely out of touch, I'm embarrassed for them.