The amount of money schools in Swindon can spend per student has increased this year.

But, with inflation factored in, it’s actually a decrease.

According to figures released by the Department for Education, Swindon’s Individual Schools Budget for 2019/19 is £153.29 m. With nearly 36,000 school pupils in the town, the budget per individual student is £4,283. That’s an increase on last year’s figure of £4,248.

But analysis shows that to match the spending power of last year’s budget, this year’s would have to be £4,341.

That means the budget this year per pupil - in real terms of how far the money will stretch - is cut by 1.3 per cent.

The figure covers all costs of education form teachers’ salaries to textbooks.

A spokesman for the Conservative administration at Euclid Street said that the town’s schools budget is at a record high at 3.4 per cent above inflation, with both funding and pupil numbers increased.

Cabinet member for schools Councillor Mary Martin said: “We welcome the increase in spending per pupil, and also welcome the additional funding that is being provided to support a pay increase for teachers, outside of the pupil premium.

“We have great schools in Swindon, each with a strong sense of community and I applaud them all”

The Department for Education says that more money is being spent on education than ever before, rising to a record £43.4 billion by 2020.

A spokesman said: “There is more money going to schools than ever before.

“We know we are asking schools to do more, that’s why the Education Secretary has set out his determination to work with the sector to reduce cost pressures, including things like stationery, energy and water bills.”

But Andy Woolley, the representative for the south west at teachers’ union the National Education Union said: “There is a shortfall in school funding of £2 billion a year in real terms compared to three years ago. We have 66,000 more pupils in schools since last year yet there are 5,400 fewer teachers, 2,800 fewer teaching assistants, 1,400 fewer support staff and 1,200 fewer auxiliary staff.

“This is simply not good enough. The government was told by two thousand head teachers who marched on Downing Street last week that funding cuts have left some schools in the position where they are cutting subjects from the curriculum, increasing class sizes, cutting school trips and after-school clubs, and leaving buildings in disrepair.”

Analysis of the figures of previous year’s Individual Schools Budgets suggests that, adjusted for inflation, this year’s budget is the lowest for four years - with the budget for 2015-16 having the buying power today of £4,452 and for 2016-17 the power of £4,384.

Schools are funded through the Dedicated School’s Grant.

Two politicians who are likely to face off at the next general election have also clashed over schools funding.

Kate Linnegar is the Labour Party’s prospective candidate for North Swindon.

She said: “Talking to parents on the doorstep and outside schools, they tell me about the impact these cuts have already had on their children. Class sizes are growing and parents have to contribute more and more for the basics. Last year a head teacher told me that at their school, almost all subsidies for music have been cut, targeted mental health services have been cut by 75 per cent, parental support advisers cut by 50 per cent and the IT system is so old and patched up that it is unfit for use to teach children the skills they will need for the future.”

But Conservative MP for North Swindon Justin Tomlinson said: “The funding formula set up by the last Labour government meant Swindon was in the bottom 40 authorities for schools funding. This government has been slowly redressing that, meaning we get more than most. Some schools in Swindon saw a budget increase of nearly 10 per cent this year.

“And the government has funded the new Great Western Academy which opened last month - which Labour opposed.”