Schools have seen their budgets slashed by £5.4 billion since 2015, new figures reveal.
Ministers were accused of ‘short-changing’ school children after new analysis by the School Cuts Coalition found 91% of schools in England faced per-pupil cuts.
The new figures are based on the Government’s own figures for school costs, which show they are rising faster than inflation.
“This is an intolerable situation,” said Kevin Courtney, joint General Secretary of the National Education Union.
“Children and young people are being short-changed by a Government that believes education can be run on a shoestring.”
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GMB National Secretary Rehana Azam said: “Low-paid support staff are regularly dipping into their own pockets so children can have food, stationary, and even sanitary products.
“We urgently need more funding for our schools - the time to act is now.
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“Schools have been pushed to breaking point.”
She added: “The smoke and mirrors of ministerial spin do not disguise the reality that kids’ free school meals are being cut further by this Government.”
Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “Schools are in the invidious position of having to decide on the least-worst option of where to make cuts or they will become insolvent.”
The steepest cuts were seen in London’s Tower Hamlets which saw spending cuts of more than £1,700 per pupil over four years. Some 42% of schoolchildren in the area qualify for free school meals.
Schools in Yorkshire faced total cuts of £481m - with funding dropping by £227 per pupil.
