The education secretary has recognised the extent of funding pressures in England's schools after hearing warnings of a "financial crisis".
"It is challenging for schools making the numbers add up," Damian Hinds told a head teachers' conference. And he said he accepted that "society asks much more of schools than we did a generation ago".
"School funding is in crisis. Most people see it," said heads' leader Paul Whiteman.
Speaking to the National Association of Head Teachers in Liverpool, Mr Hinds offered more support to improve teacher recruitment and retention. This included sabbaticals for experienced teachers and plans to remove confusion over when schools would be classified as underachieving.
But Mr Hinds faced questions about funding pressures - with the union's general secretary Paul Whiteman saying that "rhetoric cannot hide the real picture of a system in financial crisis".
The NAHT leader said the public now backed schools' warnings over budget shortages and this campaigning would continue. The education secretary said that schools were better funded - but he acknowledged that they now faced increased financial pressures and also more social pressures, such as children's mental health problems.
"I certainly don't pretend I can just stand up here at this podium and say a few words that will solve all of the challenges that you face in schools today. It is true that schools get more funding than they used to but it is also true that society asks much more of schools than we did a generation ago," said Mr Hinds.
