As reported by the News & Star, schools in Carlisle are now urging parents to help put an end to the huge loss of funding the area is experiencing
Carlisle school pupils – as many as 10,000 of them – have taken home letters to inform their families of the extent of local funding cuts.
The House of Commons revealed, last week, that Carlisle school funding has been cut y £1.3m since 2013/14.
Now, schools in this area are being asked to sign a petition to ensure this sliding trend does not continue.
Of the 41 schools in the district, 33 have come together to highlight the issue and fight for an increase in funding.
Clem Coady, headteacher at Stoneraise School, said: “It’s just falling on deaf ears and we are at a crux point now. If we don’t reverse the cuts this generation of children will never get this education back and that’s why we’re fighting so strongly for it.”
He added that, nationally, in the past year, there have been an additional 66,000 pupils in the system, yet a reduction of 5,400 teachers, 2,800 fewer teaching assistants and 2,600 fewer support staff.
“It is all very well the politicians saying the funding is a record high, without acknowledging the additional pupils we have in the system.
“We need our government to stop ignoring this issue and stop misleading the public. This generation of children deserves to have their education funded adequately.
“The school’s workforce is being reduced leading to less support for our most vulnerable children..”
Graham Frost, headteacher at Robert Ferguson Primary School, added: “In reality, schools are facing increasing costs, reductions in support services, and at a time when changes to benefits are putting pressures on many of the most disadvantaged or vulnerable families.”
Frost added that the government is simply not listening.
He added: “Government ministers might want school services to shrink so they can make savings, but spending on education should never be seen as a burden on the treasury – it is an essential investment in our children’s futures.”
In a response to the petition the Department for Education said: “We recognise schools are facing budgeting challenges and we are asking them to do more. We have increased funding by an extra £1.3bn across this year and next, over and above previous spending plans.”
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