Schools are struggling to get funds for their own basic supplies such as pens and wall clocks but teachers also feel compelled to help poverty stricken students who need soap, toothbrushes and deodorant.
Many teachers have started to go above and beyond their traditional responsibilities and are buying toiletries to help their poorer students.
According to the Huffington Post, some schools are stretching their budget to help with things like washing pupils' school uniforms while other teachers are dipping into their own wages to help the kids they teach.
Kind Direct, an organisation that distributes surplus products from big brands to people in need, recently ran a survey and found that 80 per cent of the teachers surveyed had noticed an increase in the number of children in dirty uniforms or clothes that were in poor condition.
The survey also found that 50 per cent of the British primary school teachers that took part admit to providing essentials such as soap, washing powder and shampoo to their poorest pupils on a weekly basis.
Out of the 2,000 parents with primary school aged children that were polled nearly half admitted that they had to go without basic hygiene or cleaning products because they couldn’t afford them.
Nicola Finney, headteacher of St Paul’s C of E Primary School in Stoke on Trent, told the Huffington Post that staff at her school are desperately trying to help poverty stricken students so that it doesn't affect their attendance or future prospects.
Teachers are asking for help with basic school supplies and they're also providing poor pupils with basic toiletries
She said: 'I work through my very tight budgets to set money aside so that when we’ve got families that are in crisis or just having a bad week or a difficult month, we are there as a school to help them out discreetly. That is something I think that is morally justified. I have paid for things out of my own pocket before too, but now I have a budget to try to avoid my staff having to do the same.'
Nicola also explained that the school are trying to see about getting a washing machine fitted so that they can help wash the school uniforms of pupils in need.
Hundreds of schools across the country are also using Amazon Wish Lists in an attempt to get essential supplies for their pupils.
The schools' lists are public and several include basic items such as pens, pencils and toilet rolls.
The Huffington Post found one school that was requesting materials to help students with anxiety and a special needs school that desperately needed some sensory equipment.
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