Schools hold 'crisis talks' to consider three-day weeks as teacher salaries and soaring energy bills cripple budgets

14 August 2022, 18:55 | Updated: 14 August 2022, 18:56

Schools across the country are holding 'crisis meetings' to consider three-day working weeks amid soaring costs
Schools across the country are holding 'crisis meetings' to consider three-day working weeks amid soaring costs. Picture: Alamy

By Megan Hinton

Schools across the country are holding 'crisis meetings' to consider three-day working weeks as they the struggle to pay soaring energy costs and staff salary rises.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Headteachers are in talks with school governors and trustees over the summer holidays about how best to number crunch in the next academic year, with budgets stretched to the max amid the cost of living crisis.

Teachers are also set to be awarded pay rises in September which experts warn will add more pressure on schools' already-tight finances.

Marc Jordan, CEO of Creative Education Trust, which has 17 schools in the Midlands and East Anglia, told The Telegraph that some schools were even considering three-day working weeks in a bid to save cash.

Dr Robin Bevan, headmaster of Southend High School for Boys in Essex, also told the newspaper: "If a four-day week is not already being planned, it will certainly be being considered' by some schools."

Other desperate measures could include recruitment freezes, scrapping covid catch up programs, binning building improvements and planning redundancies.

Read more: Jack Monroe hits out at 'tone deaf' Govt and slams energy companies for 'playing us for fools'

Brown: Cost of living crisis is national emergency

Mr Jordan also predicted schools will be forced to resort to using "draconian restrictions on energy usage" as energy bills skyrocket to around 300 per cent more than last year.

It comes as funding per pupil in England has collapsed by nine percent between 2010 and 2020 in real terms despite the Government's additional £7billion for school budgets in England by 2024.

A spokesman for the Department for Education said: "We recognise that schools – much like the wider economy – are facing increased costs, including on energy and staff pay.

''Our schools white paper set out our expectation that the school week should last a minimum of 32.5 hours – the current average – for all mainstream state-funded schools.

"Thousands of schools already deliver this length of week within existing budgets and we expect current funding plans to account for this."

Read more: Truss vows no windfall tax for energy firms as Boris accused of doing nothing to help families pay soaring bills

'I hear almost hourly from people who are absolutely petrified.'

The two remaining Tory leadership contenders are facing a call to more than double the level of Government support to low-income families to avert a cost-of-living crisis "catastrophe" over the winter.

On Saturday seventy charities and community organisations signed an open letter to Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak warning families on benefits face a £1,600 shortfall over the coming months, despite receiving £1,200 in the last Government support package.

Read more: Crisis talks set to 'knock heads together' as bills soar while energy firms announce bumper profits

In the letter, co-ordinated by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), they warn soaring energy bills mean many low-income households are already facing in a choice between skipping meals or not heating their homes properly, and that the situation is only set to get worse.

"Many of our organisations work directly with these families and are becoming overwhelmed, too often unable to provide the support so desperately needed," the letter said.

"This situation cannot be allowed to continue.

"As the prospective leaders of this country, we urge you to act now to demonstrate the compassion and leadership needed to tackle this issue head on.

"We ask you both to pledge that, under your premiership, everyone who needs it will be properly supported when they hit hard times.

"This means ensuring that, at a minimum, the social security system always provides people with enough to be able to afford the essentials."

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

After she was arrested she told detectives the stabbing was “punishment”.

Al Qaida-inspired student who stabbed MP could walk free from prison

Breaking
Bank Of England In The City Of London

UK economy shrank by 0.3% in April following Trump Tariffs hit - as Reeves brands figures 'disappointing'

Elderly women watching TV in outpatient clinic waiting room in NHS hospital. UK

NHS should ‘tear up the outpatient model’, health service chief executive says

Brian Wilson passed away aged 82.

Surviving Beach Boys pay tribute to songwriter ‘genius’ Brian Wilson

Palestinians carry boxes and bags containing food and humanitarian aid packages delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S.-backed organization approved by Israel, in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday, May 29, 2025.

Controversial aid distributer accuses Hamas of carrying out attack on bus transporting Palestinians

A net balance of 28% of professionals reported seeing the number of sales agreed falling. Sales volumes are generally expected to flatten out rather than fall in the three months ahead, the survey indicated.

House sales tipped to bounce back with 'strongest outlook' since February - but buyer interest still slipping

Supporters of Dignity in Dying celebrate on hearing the result of the vote on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London.

UK doctor says helping patients die in Australia is a ‘tremendous privilege’ and calls for law change at home

The body of Yair Yaakov, 59, has reportedly been recovered.

Two more hostages recovered by Israeli forces in Gaza, Netanyahu says

There were reports of vehicles being damaged and burned out, stolen cars, motorbikes being used and bricks thrown at officers amid the disorder, Greater Manchester Police said.

Girl, 16, charged with assaulting an emergency worker in Salford after ‘60 masked youths’ clash with police

The affected products include the Jolly Rancher Hard Candy, “Misfits” Gummies, Hard Candy Fruity 2 in 1, and Berry Gummies, the FSA said.

'Don't eat them': Brits told to avoid popular American sweets linked to cancer amid 'toxicological concern'

A woman has been arrested after a four-year-old boy was found dead in Dunholme End.

Boy, 4, found dead inside Maidenhead home as police arrest woman on suspicion of murder

Exclusive
Caz Holbrook, 54, said 2023 was a "very stressful" year after her landlord evicted her and her 15-year-old son from their home in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire

I was evicted after Liz Truss's budget tanked the economy – my son and I ended up in a beetle-infested flat

St Michael's Church, Mytholmroyd

Village church ordered to silence 'cherished' chiming bells after residents' complaints spark huge row

The Bridgerton actress said she has been left with a concussion and "on edge" - and the incident traumatised her dog.

Bridgerton actress Genevieve Chenneour left 'traumatised' after fighting off phone thief who threatened to 'stab' her

Shopper walking through the aisle of a supermarket.

Deadly disease outbreak linked to 'contaminated' UK supermarket item

Demonstrators gathered outside Stoke Newington Police Station in protest against police in schools, after it emerged that a 15-year-old Black girl ('Child Q') was strip-searched by police at a Hackney school, which is thought to be racially motivated.

Officer who strip-searched black schoolgirl while she was on her period admits failings but denies racist motivation