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| Thousands of smaller schools 'financially not viable' | Thousands of smaller schools 'financially not viable' |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Thousands of smaller primaries and secondaries in England are becoming financially unviable, heads say. | Thousands of smaller primaries and secondaries in England are becoming financially unviable, heads say. |
| The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) says one-form entry primaries and secondaries with 600 pupils or fewer will "fall off a cliff" financially unless new funds are found. | The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) says one-form entry primaries and secondaries with 600 pupils or fewer will "fall off a cliff" financially unless new funds are found. |
| The government says it has been protecting school budgets. | The government says it has been protecting school budgets. |
| Independent experts say they face real-terms cuts of 8% to cover cost rises in pension, pay and national insurance. | Independent experts say they face real-terms cuts of 8% to cover cost rises in pension, pay and national insurance. |
| The Institute of Fiscal Studies says having been insulated from real-terms cuts over the last Parliament, schools are likely to feel the pinch more over the current Parliament, with spending per pupil set to fall. | The Institute of Fiscal Studies says having been insulated from real-terms cuts over the last Parliament, schools are likely to feel the pinch more over the current Parliament, with spending per pupil set to fall. |
| 'Big issue' | 'Big issue' |
| A one-form entry primary has about 210 pupils, 65 fewer than the average-sized primary school. | |
| Some 20% of primaries (3,478) in England have fewer than 200 pupils, and 30% (5,037) have fewer than 300 pupils. | Some 20% of primaries (3,478) in England have fewer than 200 pupils, and 30% (5,037) have fewer than 300 pupils. |
| The average-sized 11-to-16 secondary has about 970 pupils, while a three-form secondary has about 450 pupils and a four-form primary has about 600. | The average-sized 11-to-16 secondary has about 970 pupils, while a three-form secondary has about 450 pupils and a four-form primary has about 600. |
| Malcolm Trobe, interim general secretary of the ASCL, told the BBC: "At some smaller schools, the funding will become such that they would not be able to support their teaching infrastructure. | Malcolm Trobe, interim general secretary of the ASCL, told the BBC: "At some smaller schools, the funding will become such that they would not be able to support their teaching infrastructure. |
| "They will not be financially viable. | "They will not be financially viable. |
| "One-form entry primary schools, and three- to four-form entry secondary schools, are going to find it extremely difficult, especially in low-funded education authorities. | "One-form entry primary schools, and three- to four-form entry secondary schools, are going to find it extremely difficult, especially in low-funded education authorities. |
| "This size of school is quite common, and they are under real threat. | "This size of school is quite common, and they are under real threat. |
| "They are going to find it extremely difficult to provide a full curriculum and maintain the support staff infrastructure needed to run the school. | "They are going to find it extremely difficult to provide a full curriculum and maintain the support staff infrastructure needed to run the school. |
| "It's all down to the cost pressures that have come home to roost - the unfunded pay rises, national insurance costs and pension contributions." | "It's all down to the cost pressures that have come home to roost - the unfunded pay rises, national insurance costs and pension contributions." |
| 'Historic unfairness' | 'Historic unfairness' |
| He said with continuing delays to the publication of the long-awaited new national funding formula, due now to be introduced in 2018, schools were really struggling. | He said with continuing delays to the publication of the long-awaited new national funding formula, due now to be introduced in 2018, schools were really struggling. |
| "The big, big issue is because [the Department for Education] is not doing anything until 2018, they really need to do something for schools who are going to fall off a cliff financially or run into a wall in 2017." | |
| He suggested schools might find solutions to their funding issues by sharing specialist teachers with a group of neighbouring schools. | He suggested schools might find solutions to their funding issues by sharing specialist teachers with a group of neighbouring schools. |
| Alternatively, they might choose to share some of their support services with other schools. | Alternatively, they might choose to share some of their support services with other schools. |
| The Department for Education said: "In reality the schools budget has been protected and in 2016-17 totals over £40bn, the highest ever on record. | The Department for Education said: "In reality the schools budget has been protected and in 2016-17 totals over £40bn, the highest ever on record. |
| "The government's fairer funding proposals will ensure that areas with the highest need attract the most funding and end the historic unfairness in the system." | "The government's fairer funding proposals will ensure that areas with the highest need attract the most funding and end the historic unfairness in the system." |