150 parents and teachers turn up to launch of Stop the Education Cuts campaign against school funding cuts at Furzedown Post Reply

[admin (daniella)]

A campaign launch went off with a bang this week as 150 concerned parents and school staff from all political parties united against school funding cuts.

The meeting, held at Furzedown School on April 25, launched the Stop the Education Cuts campaign that aims to prevent the Government’s proposed Fair Funding Formula (FFF), which they say will result in many London schools losing financial aid.

Chaired by teacher Jan Nielson and attended by the general secretary of the National Union of Teachers Kevin Courtney and the Tooting MP Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, the meeting included issues such as cuts to staff members, the loss of creative subjects in favour purely ‘academic’ ones and forgoing class trips.

Mother-of-two Dr Allin-Khan said it was “dangerous” to play with children’s futures while Kevin Courtney described the cuts as “unacceptable”.

He said: “The parents were angry about the cuts that will affect their children's education and were planning campaign steps to put pressure on all candidates in the run-up to the general election.

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http://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/new ... ding_cuts/

[EarlsfieldDad23]

To suggest that money is being taken out of the schools system is simply incorrect. The schools budget has been protected and this year it totals over £40 billion which is the highest ever on record.

The unions completely ignore the fact that pupil numbers are rising. Because per pupil funding is protected at current rates, more pupils mean more money in our schools. Taking per pupil funding and rising pupil numbers together, the school budget will be protected in real terms.

Views on the vision for a new funding system that ends the historic postcode lottery have been outlined and sought. The existing system is unfair, opaque and outdated. The current disparities mean that a school could receive 50 per cent more funding if it were based in another part of the country. Clearly this cannot be allowed to continue.

The Department for Education has recently set out proposals for how the formula will be implemented including the impact on schools and local authorities and is seeking the views of interested parties. It has also confirmed the factors that will be used in the formula, and has invited responses to the weightings they should be given. It has been keen to seek the views of as many schools, teachers, governors and parents as possible and their contributions are currently being read and listened to. I look forward to reading the formal response when it is published in due course.

The fairer funding proposals will ensure that areas with the highest need attract the most funding and end the historic unfairness in the system. This is part of the commitment to build a fairer society where success is based on merit, not privilege. Every child deserves access to a good school place - one that gives them the skills and knowledge to succeed in the future. The national funding formula will be introduced from 2018-19.

Hope this sets the record straight