Leila's Story

Leila is 28 and wanted to become a teacher in Streatham and Croydon North, but hit a wall created by Westminster's spending choices. Despite critical teacher shortages across London, HM Treasury and the Department for Education reduced training bursaries for subjects desperately needed in the capital. The classrooms were there, qualified graduates like Leila were ready to teach, but the political decision to connect them never came. Instead, departments compete for fixed spending pots as though the government that creates the pound must first find it somewhere else. This is the story of how Treasury spending rules block the teachers London's schools need most. Blocked Britain is produced independently and receives no government or corporate funding.