A headteacher outlined how underfunding and inflation has put his school in a state of crisis.

Mr John Hayes, from Gospel Oak Primary, took to the stage at Cecil Sharp House on Thursday (March 3) where teachers, union leaders, parents and pupils had gathered to demand better pay for teachers and more funding for state schools.

He was speaking at a rally by the National Education Union, which held a three-day walkout from February 28 to March 2 in protest over poor pay and lack of funding for state schools across the country.

He said in his address: “Considering the inflation is currently at around 10%, our per pupil funding increase for next financial year is 0.03%”.

He claimed that last year, when the Government announced a pay rise of 5% for the teachers in most state funded schools, it cost Gospel Oak an additional £45,000. Rising energy and gas prices has also put a huge pressure on the school’s finances.

Mr Hayes said: “Our energy bill has gone up by 74% and our gas bill by 219%. Our contingency (funding) for the next financial year is at the moment looking like £58,000”.

The head highlighted the significance of that number in terms of the expenses that are still due, like the £18,000 cost of providing support for a new student with special education needs.

Including other contingencies, he claimed the school could face another budget deficit this year.

In the past few years, eight teachers had been made redundant from his team, adding to the workload of remaining staff.

Having been a teacher for more than 40 years, he had never seen schools in such dire state. 

He added: “What they (the staff) are trying to achieve for these kids, we could only really achieve with the right level of investment, the right level of staffing, which we don’t have."

The school has around 459 pupils between three and 11. It received Ofsted's highest ‘outstanding’ rating after their inspection in September 2021.  

A contingent of parents whose children study at the school attended the rally to show their solidarity.

Claire Flaxen, who daughter is in year four, said: “Their teachers have been absolutely incredible. These kids do not realise how difficult it has been in the school”.

She added: “I fully support the teachers because they have been doing what they can with the resources they have and they are now at a breaking point."