SCHOOLS face more teacher job losses and problems with large classes despite an increase in their budgets, a union claims.

The National Union of Teachers says the public should not be deceived into thinking everything is now rosy, after Lancashire County Council voted to put budgets up by around five per cent for the next financial year.

That followed the Government allowing the authority to spend an extra £26 million on schools, but the county council still had to impose £6.6 million worth of cuts elsewhere in education to stay within its overall budget.

The union says the extra money will not make up for the "unprecedented cuts" of last year which have left many schools with over-large classes, empty reserves and cuts in support services, such as music. Lancashire NUT secretary and head of Shadsworth Junior School, Blackburn, Frank Shuttleworth, said: "I welcome the decision of the county council to recommend increased funding for schools as a direct result of improved Government funding.

"Nevertheless, people must remember that the present situation in our schools is as a direct result of Government under-funding which still remains."

NUT national executive member Anne Waterhouse added: "I remain highly suspicious that this additional funding is made available following a public outcry in this period prior to a general election.

"Government ministers must think the electorate is stupid if they think that ordinary people are going to be fooled so easily."

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