Warning over impact cuts to school budgets will have on West Dunbartonshire pupils

19.12.2022 - 19:27 / dailyrecord.co.uk

Cuts to school budgets in West Dunbartonshire will result in increased disruption and a drop in attainment, it has been warned.

Gavin Corrigan of the EIS trade union issued the stark message last week during a meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council’s educational services committee.

He warned that schools were already seeing an increase in classroom disruption, adding that the cost of living crisis and hangover from the Covid-19 pandemic was continuing to have an adverse impact on young people’s education.

WDC currently faces a budget black hole of more than £20million, with cost saving options due to be considered by members at Church Street this week including a 20 percent cut to general school budgets.

A 50 percent cut to curriculum development budgets is also being considered, whilst funding provided by the Scottish Government to tackle the attainment gap between rich and poor households in West Dunbartonshire is to be slashed next year.

Addressing the committee Mr Corrigan, who works at Our Lady and St Patrick’s High, said: “We are looking at proposed cuts of 20 percent from the top line.

“That equates to 17.5 full time employees.

“That gives us real concerns for the impact that will have on pupils and staff.

“We often talk about the high levels of deprivation in West Dunbartonshire, and this is being exacerbated by the cost of living crisis that we’re living through.

“To remove staff at this time, as pupils are recovering from the impact of the pandemic, seems counterproductive.

“Pupil absences and the number of pupils finding full days challenging are increasing. Yet we are reducing budgets by 20 percent and reducing staffing levels.

“In schools we will see a greater level of disruption. We are already experiencing more