There’s no getting away from the fact that the recent autumn budget was a huge disappointment for schools. Put simply, the chancellor failed to deliver.

Despite the denials and rhetoric coming from ministers about record levels of funding, you only have to spend time in our schools and speak to those who work within them to see that the cuts are all too real, and have been for some years now.

Justine Greening’s announcement in the summer that there would be a reallocation of funds from the DfE budget to the schools’ budget was itself a tacit acceptance of the financial reality facing schools, even if it didn’t go far enough.

A political choice has been made and we should be clear about where the responsibility lies. Yes, we know that the budget is by its very nature a series of difficult choices, but, nevertheless, choices they remain.

So, the obvious question is what now?

Organisations such as the NAHT headteachers’ union, along with the other teaching unions, will continue to make the case that school funding is inadequate. We will not just quietly go away, even if this is exactly what the government hopes will happen. The stakes are simply too high and this matters too much for us to give up.

However, one thing I can say with complete confidence is that our teachers and school leaders will be more committed than ever to doing the very best they can for their pupils. They want this generation of children to have the same, if not a better, educational experience than the generation before and, despite the lack of resources, that’s exactly what they’ll strive to deliver.

Teachers are often called upon to work miracles, and that’s exactly what they’ll continue to do.

They will turn up each morning determined to be the very best they can be for their pupils. They won’t lower their expectations, nor will they shirk the challenges they face. They know that this generation of pupils didn’t choose to come into the school system during a time of austerity and they’ll be determined not to let it affect the children who they work with on a daily basis.

This government can count itself extremely lucky to have such a dedicated workforce in our schools. They will continue to change children’s lives for the better, but I can’t help think that they deserve better, too. 

James Bowen is director of middle leaders’ union NAHT Edge. He tweets @JamesJkbowen

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