Dear Parent/ Carer, Wednesday 28th November 2018
RE: SCHOOL FUNDING CRISIS
As Head Teachers, we feel that it is our duty to provide parents with a fair and accurate view of the real state of school funding in our area rather than the misleading, over optimistic and inaccurate picture described by the Government. All state schools in England are funded by a central Government grant that is administered by the Department for Education. This grant has not had an increase on a per pupil basis from 2010 to 2017.
Schools are having to make difficult choices on how to spend their limited funding as their income has not kept pace with the rise in costs since 2010. All schools are working very hard to “make ends meet” but this is becoming increasingly difficult and verging on almost impossible. Bank of England information shows that £100 of goods in 2010 cost £121.90 in 2017 (which is approximately a 20% increase), and schools funding has not kept up with the increase in costs.
If schools funding increased by only 15% compared to 2010 this would provide:-
- £135,000 additional funding for an average primary school with 200 pupils
- £680,000 additional funding for an average secondary school with 1000 pre-16 pupils
- £330 additional funding for each nursery child attending 5 mornings a week
- £2,300,000 for children with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) including children in special schools, special units or children that need additional help to access education.
As funding has become tighter, schools have had to cut back on:
| v Teaching and non-teaching staff
v Support for more vulnerable pupils v Small group work for children who are not thriving in school v Teaching resources (parents being asked to pay for books and materials) |
v Subject choices in secondary schools
v The range of activities for primary pupils v Extra curricula activities provided free or subsidised v Repairs to buildings v Renewal of equipment |
From March 2018 there has been a very small increase in funding for schools. However, this increase has not closed the gap between the funding your school receives and the funding your school needs to provide the number of teachers and resources required to provide the education all our children deserve.
If you think Government should fund schools sufficiently and fairly, please show your support by adding your name to the petition ‘Increase Funding for Schools’, as well as encouraging family and friends to do so, via the link below:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/232220
You will be asked to add some minimal information (name, email address, postcode) and then you will be required to confirm your email address by responding to the automated response sent to you.
Yours sincerely,
