Crowded classrooms, crumbling buildings, fewer staff and subject choices with pupils worried about their education and future - this is a GCSE student’s devastating description of the situation in Wales’ underfunded schools. Callum Morrissey, who is in year 10 and chair of the school council at Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan in Conwy, has launched a petition calling for more money for education.
Callum, who takes his first GCSEs this year, is on Wales’ Seren programme for high achievers and says teachers do all they can. But the 14-year-old boy and his peers are worried about not doing as well as they should as cuts deepen with their local council poised to shave 6% off school budgets next year.
"We are witnessing first hand how our classrooms are becoming more crowded and the school infrastructure becoming older with no money to repair it," the teenager's petition says, "our support for wellbeing and additional learning needs is being stripped back due to insufficient funding from the Welsh government - this is not what we deserve.
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Callum's petition, which can be seen here, goes on: "The Welsh government’s recent minimal increase in costs has left schools across Conwy teetering on a critical edge. As students, we are feeling this impact every day - it’s affecting our learning environment and threatening our future prospects.
"Our learning has already been stripped back due to the pandemic and any more interference with our education will be irreversible. it is not what we deserve, we deserve a right to a good education in Wales. "
The GCSE schoolboy's comments follow warnings from headteachers to a Senedd committee. And his plea for more cash for schools comes as Conwy council considers a 6% cut to school budgets in a situation reflected across Wales as local authorities struggled to make ends meet. A Conwy council cabinet meeting on January 23 agreed "that schools be advised of an indicative reduction of 6% to their budgets" and this will now go to a meeting on February 29 when councillors meet to finalise their budget.
Meanwhile headteachers and school governors in Conwy have sent a joint letter to parents and carers warning: “The financial situation in schools is now critical". The letter urges people to lobby their MS's and councillors and adds: " There can be no doubt that further cuts to school budgets will have a significant impact on what we can provide for our pupils.”
Launching his petition Callum said young people feel let down. He said he wants to "shed light on the dire situation that school’s find themselves in".
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"School funding was cut back in Conwy 5% in 2023-24 but there are not fewer children and now there will be more cuts. Half of the children at my school live in the 20% most deprived areas of Wales and 30% are eligible for free school meals and aren't getting support they need.
“Why is the Welsh government not making people at school a priority in its budget? Why are we being let down?
“I think the priorities of the new curriculum and the Welsh language are good but schools are being cut to the bone and can’t do everything. Vulnerable learners and people on free school meals aren’t getting the support they need."
Callum, who turns 15 soon, is taking 13 GCSEs and hopes to go to a top university to study sciences, but fears his chances, and the chances of classmates, will be hampered by cuts. He is worried that computer science, which he wants to study at A level, may be withdrawn to save cash as a subject with fewer pupils.
His mum, Sharon, said Callum loves his school. But she is also worried that budget cuts will affect the chances of her son and other young people across Wales.
Callum’s petition message in full:
I am the Chair of the school council at Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan , and I speak on behalf of all learners when I say that our education is being compromised. We are witnessing first hand how our classrooms are becoming more crowded and the schools infrastructure becoming older with no money to repair it. Our support for well-being and additional learning needs is being stripped back due to insufficient funding from the Welsh government. This is not what we deserve.
The Welsh government’s recent minimal increase in costs has left schools across Conwy teetering on a critical edge. As students, we are feeling this impact every day - it’s affecting our learning environment and threatening our future prospects.
Our learning has already been stripped back due to the pandemic and any more interference with our education will be irreversible. It is not what we deserve, we deserve a right to a good education in Wales.
Education is essential; it should be prioritised above non-essential expenditures by the government. If this trend of cutting back on educational costs continues, children’s education across Conwy will plummet considerably.
We urge you to consider these facts: according to a report by Education Policy Institute (EPI), there has been an 8% real-terms decrease in total school spending per pupil between 2009–10 and 2017–18 (source: EPI). cuts to Conwy school’s were 5% last year and are going to be considerably more this year. If the government does not intervene. This lack of investment puts immense pressure on schools struggling to provide quality education while managing growing class sizes.
Our plea is simple but urgent – we demand adequate funding for schools in Conwy from the Welsh Government. The future of countless students hangs in balance here; let’s ensure they get what they deserve – a good education that can pave their way towards a promising future.
Headteachers warn redundancies and cuts inevitable
Callum’s comments are echoed by schools in Conwy. In a joint letter primary, secondary and special school heads and governors have told parents that redundancies are inevitable without more money.
“This year we foresee that a significant majority of Conwy schools will struggle to set a balanced budget. If they are unable to do so, then they will need to cut costs which will inevitably lead to staff reductions and redundancies,” the letter warns.
Heads say they are all having to consider decisions on a school level that would result in: -
● Larger class sizes and fewer teachers, support staff and senior staff
● School buildings and equipment falling further into disrepair
● Being unable to offer all subject options for pupils at GCSE and post 16
● Being unable to meet demand for specialist Additional Learning Needs and pastoral support
● Fewer interventions for literacy and numeracy
● Fewer free or subsidised trips and after school activities
The letter adds that cuts are also affecting schools’ ability to deliver the new curriculum, the growth of Welsh medium education and meeting the Welsh Government’s one million Welsh speakers by 2050 target.
Conwy council responds
Responding to Callum's petition and letter from school leaders Cllr Charlie McCoubrey, leader of Conwy council, said:“All councillors at Conwy County Borough Council are fully aware of the funding shortfall that the council faces as a result of national pay awards, inflation, energy and fuel prices, and the increased demand for services.
“Just like other authorities across the UK, the council will have no choice but to reduce its expenditure in a number of areas and raise additional income, which is likely to have an impact on the level of services provided.
“It is inevitable that when councillors meet to finalise the budget on February 29 they will have some difficult decisions to make.”
