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School funding is 'fair' but too little cash, say governors School governors point to 'diabolical' budget squeeze
(about 1 hour later)
School governors say the government should press ahead with its new funding formula for schools in England - but say there is too little cash overall. 'Catastrophic' squeeze on school budgets
Emma Knights, chief executive of the National Governors Association, says the plan is fair but schools face underlying money problems. School governors have pointed to a "catastrophic" squeeze on budgets, as the government prepares to introduce a new funding formula for schools.
It comes a day after head teachers from 3,000 schools called for a rethink. A snapshot survey of 4,000 governors by the BBC sheds light on the existing funding pressure in England's schools.
Ministers say the biggest school funding shake-up in decades will end "unfair" and "inconsistent" funding. National Governors Association head Emma Knights does however back the principle of the new funding formula.
"Everybody pretty much agrees that the principle of the formula is right," said Ms Knights, speaking as the consultation period on the plan closed. Ministers say schools are funded at record levels and that the budgets re-think will end inconsistencies.
Is school funding the next crisis? But the dramatic impact on already stretched budgets - even before the funding formula kicks in - has left ministers under pressure from Conservative backbenchers and head teachers in all areas of England.
Big city schools hit in funding crisis The National Audit Office says schools face £3bn shortfall by 2019-20.
But, she said lack of money in the education system overall meant some schools that had expected to gain under the new funding formula would in fact lose. 'Desperate'
It comes a day after heads from 3,000 schools in England wrote to their local MPs and ministers calling for a rethink of the plans.
The difficulties being faced by schools across England were spelled out by the governors who responded to the BBC questionnaire.
"Diabolical", "devastating" and "catastrophic" were among the words used to describe prospects for schools.
Some governors described their "desperate" attempts at fundraising to fill gaps, while others explained that many subjects were being lost, particularly at sixth form level.
In Halifax, one governor said they were considering shortening the school day.
In other areas, efforts to raise extra cash included selling off school land, letting out facilities and raising sponsorship from local businesses.
Subjects cut
One governor said their school was holding a music festival to raise cash to help with the running of the schools.
"We are just about holding things together. If it wasn't for the changes in the funding formula we would be making teaching assistants redundant," said the governor of a Warwickshire school
"We will provide a very vanilla curriculum," said a governor from Ipswich worried about the number of subjects being cut.
A Norwich governor talked of "a potentially devastating impact on behaviour support, family liaison and mental health support.
But many felt too limited to ask parents for donations: "We are in a deprived area - many of our parents are using food banks," said one governor from Blackburn.
The new formula seeks to shift resources from more highly funded urban areas to less well funded rural ones.
But there is also extra funding for schools with high numbers of children with low prior attainment.
'Winners and losers'
Speaking as the consultation period on the plan closes, Ms Knights said "everybody pretty much agrees that the principle of the formula is right".
But the lack of money in the education system overall meant some schools that had expected to gain under the new funding formula would in fact lose, she said.
"People do understand that the current system can't be defended and we do need a way of making sure we are distributing money across the country fairly.""People do understand that the current system can't be defended and we do need a way of making sure we are distributing money across the country fairly."
But underlying cash problems in schools had meant "even more controversy than was expected", she said. But Ms Knights said the new formula had shown up a shortfall "in the basic building block to educate a child", which she said was a different issue.
"That's about the amount of money we need rather than how we distribute it across the country."
Her comments coincide with a separate report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) that calls the proposals "broadly sensible" but warned of "significant winners and losers" with some schools facing "protracted cuts".Her comments coincide with a separate report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) that calls the proposals "broadly sensible" but warned of "significant winners and losers" with some schools facing "protracted cuts".
"Implementing this reform at a time when there is already considerable pressure on school budgets will inevitably be difficult," the IFS warns."Implementing this reform at a time when there is already considerable pressure on school budgets will inevitably be difficult," the IFS warns.
What do schools say?
The difficulties being faced by schools across England were spelled out by 4,000 governors who responded to a BBC questionnaire.
"Diabolical", "devastating" and "catastrophic" were among the words used. Some governors described their "desperate" attempts at fundraising to fill gaps while others explained that many subjects were being lost, particularly at sixth form level.
How much cash is left for classes?
The underlying financial problems faced by state schools in England were highlighted in a National Audit Office report in December last year.The underlying financial problems faced by state schools in England were highlighted in a National Audit Office report in December last year.
The spending watchdog said schools would have to find £3bn in savings by 2019-20, amounting to budget cuts of 8%.The spending watchdog said schools would have to find £3bn in savings by 2019-20, amounting to budget cuts of 8%.
The funding formula was announced in the same month by Education Secretary Justine Greening.The funding formula was announced in the same month by Education Secretary Justine Greening.
Since then it has drawn criticism from councillors, head teachers, education unions and parents - and Conservative MPs in areas due to lose out have warned that the plans may not make it through Parliament. The government says its plan includes protections until 2019-20 to ensure that no schools will lose more than 6% of their budgets in real terms, but the IFS says these safeguards will need to remain for longer.
The government says its plan includes protections until 2019-20 to ensure that no schools will lose more than 6% of their budgets in real terms but the IFS says these safeguards will need to remain for longer. The Nasuwt teaching union says it has raised concerns with the DfE that claims about future school funding levels.
Ms Knights said the new formula had shown up a shortfall "in the basic building block to educate a child". This had led to some schools to ask parents to make unjustified and discriminatory financial contributions to school funds, whilst also planning to cut the jobs of teachers and support staff, it said.
"So actually we are saying we need more per pupil in every school across England and that of course is a different issue. The union called on the Education Secretary to act to "end panic in the system", and ensure that all schools act appropriately in ensuring pupils' educational entitlement are met fully.
"That's about the amount of money we need rather than how we distribute it across the country."
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