A school principal has warned her secondary school will struggle to buy books and computers after being hit by sharp increases in food and energy prices.
St Michael’s Catholic Academy in Billingham, on Teesside, has seen double gas and electricity bills in recent months.
The cost of providing school meals has increased by 10%.
The government said it was looking at what additional support could be offered to all schools.
More than £115,000 has been added to St Michael’s annual energy bill after electricity costs rose by 95% and gas costs by 139%, Principal Helen Keough said.
The school – which has 1,025 pupils aged 11 to 16 – will also have to pay an extra £30,000 after increasing social security costs on staff – which is the same as a teacher’s salary.
Ms Keough said the school’s budget was squeezed as it tried to recover from two years of pandemic-related disruption.
“We’ve got the students back in school and we’re really pushing their educational opportunities, that’s fantastic.
“But these inflationary pressures that are now on schools will really limit what we can do.
“I won’t be able to buy books, I won’t be able to replace computers, I won’t be able to subsidize travel or improve sports facilities.”
The Department of Education said it is “carefully assessing” how cost pressures are affecting schools and what support it can offer them.
It added: “Cost increases should be seen in the broader context of funding. In 2022-23, core school funding will increase by 4 billion compared to 2021-22 to meet broader cost pressures, including energy prices.
“All schools can access a range of tools to help them get the most from their resources, including recommended quotes for energy bills and energy-related services.”
Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Submit your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk.
Add Comment