Last Chance to Speak Out on School Funding Cuts
Government's consultation on national funding formula closes on Wednesday
H&F Council is reminding parents and teachers who want to speak out on government plans to cut school funding that they must respond to the government's consultation by the closing date on Wednesday 22 March.
You can complete the consultation online or email
schoolsnationalfundingformula.CONSULTATION
@education.gov.uk
The government plans have been criticised by parents, teachers, education professionals and trade unions, more than 400 of whom attended a packed public meeting at Hammersmith Town Hall on 28 February.
The meeting was part H&F Council’s Support Our Schools campaign.
The council says the government is planning to slash funding for all pupils and schools in Hammersmith & Fulham, with our area set to be one of the hardest hit in the country.
Schools in Hammersmith & Fulham are set to lose three per cent of their funding if the government plans go ahead. This is in addition to rising costs for schools of more than 10 per cent in the past three years.
In addition to already soaring costs, if the cuts were implemented, small primary schools would face a financial burden of over £100,000 per year – the equivalent of at least two teachers.
In a secondary school this would mean an even larger financial squeeze, with much less available to spend on children’s education.
You can find out more about the campaign, get the latest updates and share your views at the council's Fair Funding page.
The campaign is backed by the H&F Schools' Forum which is chaired by Peter Haylock.
"If schools' budgets are cut – at a time when costs are increasingly significantly – it can only have a negative effect on the education that we are able to deliver," he said.
"We will not be able to employ the number of high quality teachers and leaders that we need to be able to maintain standards."
Cllr Sue Fennimore, H&F Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, added: "As part of H&F’s Support Our Schools campaign, we are urging any teachers or parents share their views before 22 March.
"It’s crucial that their voices are heard. It will add yet more pressure on the government to think again about these dangerous cuts."
The National Union of Teachers and Association of Teachers and Lecturers have also launched a website called Schoolcuts, which has an interactive map showing the effect on individual schools throughout England.
You can read more details on the new figures here.
March 14, 2017
