UNISON has raised concerns over the impact budget cuts will have on staff and pupils of schools in Wrexham.

Wrexham Council is faced with plugging a forecast budget blackhole of £22.6m for the next financial year. It is set to cut £5.4m in school budgets to help plug the hole. 

Last month, Wrexham secondary headteachers and governing bodies wrote collectively to parents to inform them of the significant impact the cut to education funding will have on Wrexham's young people.

The letter, released from the Wrexham Association of Secondary Headteachers (WASH) to parents, stresses the "significant challenges" imposed by the financial constraints.

That came after schools in Wrexham recently received their indicative budgets for next year, with at least one primary school said to be facing a six-figure deficit.

Concerns are now growing over schools becoming unable to provide the same level of support and services, as well as fear over staff redundancies.

Now, trade union UNISON has echoed the headteachers' sentiments, adding that it is 'imperative to address the mounting pressures' on schools and staff.

They described the current situation surrounding schools in the area as 'deeply concerning'.

Tracey Sutton Postlethwaite, secretary for UNISON Wrexham County Branch, said: "UNISON has always and will always advocate for proper funding across the public sector, recognising the critical role it plays in maintaining essential services.

"In light of the current challenges facing school budgets, it is imperative to address the mounting pressures on Head teachers, who bear the unenviable task of managing limited resources while striving to provide quality education."

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She added: "The impact on pupils is undeniable, as inadequate funding from central government hampers schools' ability to deliver essential services and maintain standards.

"Urgent action is needed to ensure equitable and sufficient funding, safeguarding the educational experience and opportunities for all students.

"The reported cuts to teaching assistants in some schools in Wrexham are deeply concerning, as they risk compromising the safety of both staff and pupils. Teaching assistants play a vital role in supporting teachers and ensuring a safe and effective learning environment and they are the backbone of schools.

"Reducing their numbers to dangerous levels not only strains the workload of remaining staff but also diminishes the level of individual attention and support available to pupils.

"We urge school administrators and authorities to reconsider these cuts and prioritize the well-being and safety of all members of the school communities but especially the pupils.

"It's concerning that parents are not being adequately informed of the risks to their children's education stemming from real-time cuts to funding for schools and local government by central government.

"These cuts directly impact the quality of education and support available to students. Transparency and advocacy are essential to ensure that parents are aware of the challenges facing their children's education and to advocate for the necessary resources to safeguard their learning opportunities.

"Parents need to challenge their local councillors, AM’s and especially their MP’s as the real time cuts are coming from Central Government giving the Welsh Government insufficient funding to provide essential services to our most vulnerable children, young people and adults in our society.

"We have dipped and risen over the year within our education system and we have adults without reading and writing skills in their 30’s and 40’s now. We do not want to be in that position again in 20 or 30 years due to the lack of appropriate education for children, particularly those with additional learning needs, who won’t get the right support that they deserve and need due to the stripping away appropriate funding from schools and educational facilities."

A Senedd petition calling on the Welsh Government to protect funding for schools across the country has so far been signed by more than 9,000 people. 

In response to concerns raised in Wrexham, a Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We have re-prioritised funding to increase Welsh Government grants going directly to schools. The UK Government austerity agenda means there are significant pressures on local authorities.

"That is why we provided a significant 7.9 per cent increase to local authority budgets in 2023-24, and have protected the indicative rise of 3.1 per cent in the 2024-25 draft budget.

"We will continue to work with partners across the sector to ensure the best possible outcomes for our learners.”