CHILDREN’S education is being “devastated” by the cost-of-living crisis with youngsters turning up for school hungry, wearing dirty and damaged clothes, inappropriate footwear, tired and with no energy for lessons.
Teachers are regularly giving food and money to needy families and referring them to foodbanks.
The shocking picture of life in many schools in England and Wales today comes from a survey of more than 6,000 teachers carried out by teaching union NASUWT.
MATT WRACK issues a clarion call for a rejuvenation of public services for the sake of our communities and our young people
With 170,000 children living in poverty in north-east England and teachers leaving in droves over 20 per cent real-terms pay cuts since 2010, all while private companies siphon off billions, it is time to unite and fight for education, writes MATT WRACK


