Education staff are carrying disproportionate responsibilities, according to the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL).
In a report titled ‘A roadmap for a sustainable education system’, the ASCL argues schools are ‘providing services and support which go far beyond their core remit’.
Highlighting the ‘crumbling’ state of public services, Julie McCulloch, ASCL Director of Strategy and Policy, said that ‘the burden placed on school and college teachers and leaders has never been higher’, as schools are ‘left to pick up the pieces’.
According to the union, schools, trusts and colleges should focus on delivering ‘core educational activities’ and enabling responsibilities, which the ASCL argues should be distinct from integrated services like health and social care, and wider societal responsibilities, such as food banks and housing.
The report recommends that both central and local government should provide sufficient multi-year funding settlements to support the core activities of schools, colleges and trusts.
It also suggests that local government introduces a ‘joined-up, place-based strategy’ to establish the regional distribution of education, health and social care responsibilities.
Ms McCulloch added: ‘It is time to rethink exactly what we expect from schools and colleges and how they should be resourced to meet these demands’.
