New survey highlights damaging impact of funding cuts on sixth formers

Funding cuts and cost increases are damaging the education of sixth form students in schools and colleges according to the results of a survey published today. 031117 SOS Funding Impact Survey 2017 .pdf 031117 SOS Funding Impact Survey 2017 .pdf (PDF,432.32 KB) The survey indicates that 50% of schools and colleges have dropped courses in modern foreign languages as a result of funding pressures, with A levels in German, French and Spanish the main casualties. Over a third have dropped STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) courses. Two thirds of schools and colleges (67%) have reduced student support services or extra-curricular activities – with significant cuts to mental health support, employability skills and careers advice. More than three quarters of schools and colleges (77%) are teaching students in larger class sizes and half (50%) have reduced the delivery hours of individual courses. Two thirds of schools and colleges (66%) have moved from a 4 subject offer as standard to a 3 subject offer. And almost three quarters (72%) do not believe the amount of funding they will receive next year will be sufficient to provide the support required by students that are educationally or economically disadvantaged The survey was developed as part of a collaboration including: Association of Colleges Association of School and College Leaders Sixth Form Colleges Association Grammar Schools Heads Association