SEVENTEEN schools in Warrington now have more than 30 pupils per teacher according to new figures.

And the ratio of pupils to each classroom teacher has risen in 63 per cent of Warrington’s secondary schools in the past few years.

New research by the School Cuts Coalition shows that out of the 82 schools in the borough, 17 have more than 30 pupils to one classroom teacher.

Across England, secondary school staff numbers have fallen by 15,000 between 2014/15 and 2016/17 despite them having 4,500 more pupils to teach.

Secondary schools in England have seen their staffing fall by an average of 5.5 posts since 2015.

Each school has lost an average of 2.4 classroom teachers and 1.6 teaching assistants as well as 1.5 support staff.

Shaun Everett, Warrington National Education Union secretary, said: “Government cuts to education are really hurting Warrington’s schools. Fewer teachers per student will inevitably have a damaging effect on pupil’s education.

“We should be investing in our young people. Education secretary Damian Hinds must make school funding his top priority.”

A spokesman for Warrington Borough Council said: “Warrington schools support students to turn in exceptional results year on year, particularly in core subjects like maths and English and we are rightly proud of them.

“Teacher effectiveness and pupil to teacher ratios are two of the biggest influences on educational attainment so even with a high standard of teachers the news that the pupil to teacher ratio is rising is concerning.

“Research findings show that in smaller classes, individual pupils are the focus of a teacher’s attention for more time, there is more active interaction between pupils and teachers and more pupil engagement.”

The School Cuts coalition warns that the situation is likely to get even worse, as nine out of 10 primary and secondary schools in England and Wales are predicted to be hit by a real-terms cut in funding per pupil between 2015-19.

As previously reported in the Warrington Guardian, some schools in Warrington are struggling to balance the books Of the 78 schools maintained by the local authority in Warrington, five ran a deficit in 2016/17.

Head teachers often have to cut back on staff and equipment to compensate, with the borough being one of the worst funded in the UK.

  •  Visit schoolcuts.org.uk.