To wonder why mn aren't bothered by the school budget cuts.

[minifingerz]

Posted on chat asking if parents are concerned about the coming cuts to school budgets, and how much their child's school is losing (or whether it will be one of the few to gain).

My dc's school is losing about 1K per child. Class sizes increasing significantly, school dinners will increase in cost, support staff being sacked right, left and centre. Some schools will have to get rid of almost all their TA's.

The cuts are really radical and coming at a time of big change in regard to GCSE's. I'm really concerned about it and I wonder why other people are not.

BTW I agree that schools outside of big cities have been historically underfunded. Just don't agree with robbing Peter to pay Paul. Surely the answer is to increase the overall budget for schools so that all schools have what they need to provide a good education for children?

[BabyHamster]

Maybe the urban MNers send their kids to private schools?

The problem with increasing the overall budget (which I personally agree with) is that the money has to come from somewhere and we don't have limitless funds. I'd be happy with more taxation but many don't agree.

[mumsnit]

Yup same here - average of 75k per school which is scary. My main concern is the impact on children with SEN as most TAs are either having hours cut or not having contracts renewed. It's nigh on impossible to get an EHCP so many children will only have the support of their class teacher.

It's a melting pot for sure and will end up costing us all far more in the longer term

[CripsSandwiches]

I'm very bothered by it.

[2boysnamedR]

I'm worried. TBH I think state schooling is on the verge of implosion. Three kids with SEN, the child inmsinstream keeps being maraculusly cured leaded to never ending expensive appeals. My Dd with SEN I'm considering sending to private school.
What can you do? Surrey has asked for a 15% council tax rise. Residents don't want to pay it. Central gov doesn't want to help out. It's all a bit shit really

[BewtySkoolDropowt]

Presumably not all mumsnetters are affected. I haven't heard of it, so I'm presuming it's an England thing?

[purplepebbles]

I am in a county which is historically underfunded.

I am a teacher. The lack of money we have had for years is hugely frustrating. Visiting schools in neighboring counties is hugely frustrating.

I would rather pay more tax and have everybody get what they need... but I am also very happy that my school is finally no longer going to rely on teachers to subsidise classroom resources.

[2boysnamedR]

will end up costing us all far more in the long term

Exactly this. My non verbal child with asd is being set up for a life in residential care. Imagine if he lives to 80, 90. All because some tight arse doesn't want to pay his £30 a week speech therapy. His EHCP says he needs it but Virgin care don't have to staff so dispute his provision. The LA don't have enough staff or power to do anything. They also don't want to pay that £30 a week because a lifetime of social care in 14 years isn't from their budget

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

Because they are sticking their heads in the sands. The government is on track to screw this generation of children but then again most of them privately educate/educated their kids so why would they give a flying fig?

[minifingerz]

cuts

Calculator.

[AuntieStella]

I don't think MN has a single view, and of course not all MNers have school age children, or opt to use state-funded schools (or schools at all).

Or perhaps they have DC in one of the schools that will receive more under the new formula. It has always seemed a bit odd to me that - bar a London weighting - there was ever any difference in the first place in the basic rate. Nor should there be any difference in the rates for additional sums for the numbers with proxy measures of disadvantage.

Is there a decent estimate on how what proportion of schools are gainers in the changes?

Those who lose funding will of course feel pretty sore about it, just as those who are currently getting less feel now.

[Tournesol]

I am very concerned. But I am also very concerned about the Nhs.

I feel so frustrated that this hideous Tory govt is yet again ruining our public services but the Labour party is virtually dead and providing very little real opposition.

I say this as a Labour party member. This should be when Labour stands up and offers real alternatives when instead useless Corbyn is faffing around on the fringes.

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

Our council is underfunded yet they are still taking huge sums off all the schools in the county. Our Mp was one who petitioned for the change too and I really really hate her for this.

[minifingerz]

The borough my dc's attend school in is losing £280 million from its education budget.

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

Which councils are actually gaining and which schools. I can find none in my borough or surrounding ones.

[minifingerz]

According to the cuts website, 98% of schools will have the per pupil budget cut.

[mintthins]

Our MN Local has a very, very active schools thread. I imagine that anyone in my area with concerns is posting, or at least reading there. It is a very detailed thread. The cuts will be devastating in our area. One local primary is losing over £250k.

[RustyBear]

How accurate is that calculator? Just checked the school I work at, and the number of pupils (supposedly taken from the school census) is out by 10% - it hasn't been that low for years. Makes me wonder how accurate the rest of it is.

[minifingerz]

Some schools in places like Yorkshire will gain.

Some schools with very large numbers of disadvantaged children in the SE will lose HUGE sums.

[DoctorDonnaNoble]

Some of the worst funded areas are losing money under the new formula. It isn't 'fair' as the changes are being done on too large an area.
It is also ridiculous to cut any school's funding when all the specifications have changed requiring time, money and resources that schools just don't have.
The school I teach in can not afford enough text books for our students. I have to 'bend' the school rules and let my classes take photos of the relevant pages in the text book to do homework (couldn't afford to photocopy either). Those without camera phones get the information emailed by a friend who does. I'd really rather they had textbooks and the school wasn't falling apart the seams.

[GreenGinger2]

But aren't you in London Mini?

Schools in London have had budgets others can only dream about- for years.

I'm in an area that has been seriously underfunded- for years. Schools have coped.

[minifingerz]

Rusty I'm not sure how accurate it is, but I was at my dc's school last night and the head announced that the school is facing a very very large cut in funding. All class sizes will have to increase significantly.

[DoctorDonnaNoble]

Minifingerz - excellent point. The calculation has been done at county level I believe so schools in Essex are losing out, despite Jaywick (in Essex) being the most deprived area in England.

[MuteButtonisOn]

My kids old school in Yorkshire is being heavily shafted.

[WhirlwindHugs]

I'm worried about it, but I also don't really understand how it works!

Locally it looks like the two primaries in slightly poorer areas (catchments including HA houses etc) will lose a lot more money than the one with a richer intake of kids. can anyone explain? Does that mean the one loosing less already had less before? Or it had the same and is know being cut less? I don't understand.

There is no way our school will cope with the budget cuts though. It's already had to lose a huge number of staff, move to mixed year group classes etc. We have a lot of SEN kids and already need more TAs than can be afforded.

[GreenGinger2]

There are large numbers of disadvantaged children elsewhere.Away from the SE children have isolation from London to cope with on top. Being in the SE can bring big advantages.

Cornwall has areas that are some of the most disadvantaged in Europe.