Morale in Croydon schools is dropping as a result of budget cuts, while head teachers are find themselves unable to hire qualified staff.

This revelation comes after Croydon Central MP Sarah Jones released the final set of results from her survey of more than 50 Croydon head teachers.

The survey found that since 2015, almost two thirds of Croydon schools have been forced to cut extra-curricular activities such as after-school sports or music activities.

An anonymous head teacher said: "In recent years, we have seen a significant increase in the level of need coming into the school and have to recruit additional support in class so that other pupil's learning will not be disrupted.

"Recruitment is also a significant issue. At the moment, we do not have the budgets to be able to attract staff and have to recruit non-qualified teachers, just to balance the books.

"Recruiting a teacher with any kind of experience is out of the question as we simply do not have the budget for it."

The survey also found that more than half of head teachers have been forced to cut cleaning and maintenance spending, two thirds have cut spending on books and equipment. more than half of schools have made cuts to school trips and more than three quarters have cut external support such as mentoring.

"This is an SOS message to the Chancellor Philip Hammond ahead of budget day: Save Our Schools," Ms Jones said.

"Head teachers across the country are standing up and saying enough is enough.

"They are being put in an impossible position and our children’s education is suffering. The Government must listen to the people who are closest to this – our teachers, headteachers and parents – and put more money into education."

Ms Jones is calling on Mr Hammond to release new money for education in his Autumn Budget tomorrow (November 22).

“Parents across Croydon have told me how they’re increasingly being asked to send children to school with equipment such as note paper, which has traditionally been provided by schools. "These figures show that such requests are likely to continue, and what’s more, get worse."