A fifth of teachers surveyed by ASCL reported that their schools (18 per cent) have also dropped Music and Art as GCSE options in the last twelve months.

Researchers from Sussex Universitys School of Education and Social Work warned that music could be facing extinction in the classroom, following a study which revealed a steady decline of the subject being taught in schools.

The survey also revealed more than 80 per cent of respondents said their classes had grown in size in the past year, with teachers reporting that the largest class size was 33 pupils, on average.

Malcolm Trobe, the interim general secretary of ASCL said that the survey shows the impossible choices school leaders are having to make.

Reduced budgets means fewer staff and, with fewer staff, class sizes have to increase, he said. Schools cannot sustain the level of support they provide to pupils, or the range of subject options and enrichment activities.

A Department for Education spokesperson said:As this weeks Budget demonstrates, the government is determined to ensure every child has access to a good school place and is given the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

The government has protected the core schools budget in real terms since 2010, with school funding at its highest level on record at more than 40bn in 2016-17 and that is set to rise, as pupil numbers rise over the next two years, to 42 billion by 2019-20.

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Design and technology GCSE axed from nearly half of schools, survey finds - Telegraph.co.uk