Could apprenticeship targets squeeze school budgets?

Concerns have been raised that the introduction of new legislation could pile fresh pressure on school finances.

The Enterprise Act, which became law last week, places new apprenticeship requirements on large schools and multi-academy trusts.

Under the new rules, those institutions which employ in excess of 250 members-of-staff will be expected to take on a certain number of apprentices (equivalent to 2.3 per cent of the total workforce.)

Russell Hobby, who is general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, is concerned that the new laws could cause difficulties, since the majority of staff appointed are graduates.

“In a school of 300 staff, a 2.3 per cent target would mean that seven starters in any one year would need to be apprentices,” he said. “This may be unrealistic in the current climate, as budget constraints mean many schools are cutting non-teaching roles.”

Jon Richards, the head of education at the trade union Unison, also has reservations, fearing that the apprenticeship rules have been introduced too quickly and that the rush to meet targets may create problems.

“With increased pressure on finance and with increased expectations on school business managers, we would have huge concerns about job substitution,” he said.

The Government has previously calculated that out of the 600,000 people employed in the schools sector, around 110,000 work for schools, trusts or councils that would be affected by the new apprenticeship targets.