School Funding - impact on your school

[TrollMummy]

We have just been told by our HT that due to funding cuts the school will not be renewing the contracts of some TAs and that things like music and sport will be scaled back in the coming year. The school will be looking to parents to provide essentials like paper and stationary and things are only going to get worse according to the HT.

I wondered how this is impacting other schools. AIBU to think the cuts in school funding should be a big big issue in the election?

[user1491572121]

Well they've been discussed on here a lot OP. Sadly, you and others are just starting to see the realities in action.

I think it's awful and what will happen is that in wealthier areas where there is often one parent at home...there will be more voluntary help given in the classroom by parents who have the time than will be available in less wealthy areas.

There will be more and bigger funraisers going on by PTA"s and of course, in "naicer" areas, there will be more funds raised.

When I lived in the UK, my DC"s primary school made thousands out of their Summer fair. The school a mile down the road which tended to feed the council estate did nowhere near as well.

I know because my DC went to both.

It's disgusting is what it is and many people who voted, will regret it as they see the truth come out.

[RedSkyAtNight]

Lots of other threads on this.

DS's school will be cutting the length of their school day (and accordingly reducing time spent in some non-core subjects), has cut admin and management staff and is not automatically replacing teachers who leave.

[user1491572121]

RedSky how much are they cutting it by?

[Chattymummyhere]

Our school haven't announced any changes yet but it's in a nice area where parents and local business dig deep at events and fundraisers.

[RNBrie]

Our school have asked us for £25 per month per family in addition to the regular fundraisers and stationary/craft requests.

We are in a well off area, it's not a big deal for people around here but it's yet another area where the gap between the wealthy and the poor will continue to grow. It baffles me why the country is marching towards a 100 seat majority conservative government with such open arms.

[Bettyspants]

Cut backs on teachers and TAs. Having to reapply for their jobs. All mixed year groups. Essential repairs suddenly not essential or likely to happen. Parents directing their frustrations regarding the effects of cuts directly to the teachers.....it's a headteachers ongoing nightmare.

[user1491572121]

Rn when I was in the UK, I'd have found that difficult to come up with.

No way will many parents in a lot of areas be able to afford anything CLOSE to that. So what we'll end up with, is a similar situation to that in parts of the USA where kids have not enough books to go round.

[PigletWasPoohsFriend]

It baffles me why the country is marching towards a 100 seat majority conservative government with such open arms.

It is because the opposition is so poor.

[PlayOnWurtz]

One of my dc is at one of the hardest hit schools. It's because there are no SEN children there. However they are coping, the academy system is working really well for them and they've teamed up with the local university to provide extra classes and learning opportunities

[Anon213]

The school will be looking to parents to provide essentials like paper and stationary I always found it a bit strange that a school was expected to buy pens and paper for students. When I was growing up it was just normal going to school to bring a pen and paper with you. I also dont remember classroom assistants 30 years ago, a class had a teacher and that was that. How did schools ever manage without them?

Yes I am aware of fundraising that raise money for schools, but that's always for extra luxuries like a pond or a ping pong table. I have never heard of schools fund raising for salaries.

[user1491572121]

Anon it wasn't normal where I went to school to bring paper and pencils. I went to school in the 70s and 80s. And we had no classroom assistants but there were smaller classes back then.

And I also remember that we were taught in a more "traditional" fashion...slapping kids to shut them up was still acceptable. I suppose that's how they managed without assistants. Fear.

[Osolea]

Our school is in a well off area and is well supported by local organisations and parents. Parents haven't been told yet that a few teacher hours have been cut for next year and over half of the TA hours.

The reality is that next year, the school simply won't be able to provide the same standard of education to all children as it has been able to in the past. If there aren't TAs present, the interventions and small support groups that some children desperately need to be able to achieve as much as they are capable of just won't happen. The teacher isn't suddenly going to be able to split herself in two, and it's even worse where there are mixed year group classes, which is well on the increase.

[PlayOnWurtz]

We had TAs at primary but only for the really most severely disabled they weren't standard classroom fodder. Is it the advent of more kids being diagnosed with SEN that's seen a rise in them? Or is it that teachers no longer do the job they're supposed to so and instead spend all their time planning lessons for others to deliver?

It's ridiculous how little contact children have with actual teachers now.

[RedSkyAtNight]

There will be about 2 hours less teaching time a week (the timetable is being entirely restructured so it's quite hard to work out). With 12 classes per year group, that's quite a big teacher saving.

[soimpressed]

Some TAs will not have their temporary contracts renewed but the school have avoided redundancies.
There is no longer any money for supply - classes will be split, covered by TAs (the only TAs we have are those working with statemented children), or covered by the Head if available.
There is no money for repairs - should be OK this year but how will things decline if there are similar budgets for next year.? PTA will be asked to cover anything essential such as interactive whiteboards.
Every child will have to pay 'voluntary contributions' for trips (unless they are on free school meals) or they will be cancelled. There are always some parents who refuse to pay. Parents from one class have already paid additional money so that a trip could go ahead.
There will be no external training for staff unless it is free.
Fewer staff will be first aid trained.

[OdinsLoveChild]

Anon213 yes we also had to take our own pens and pencils (70's and 80's) and we were given a booklist to buy or long term loan from the library. Workbooks were purchased at the end of term by parents and those that weren't purchased got put into a pile to be handed out next year, no one wanted those books.

No TAs either and 35 in my junior school class.

DSs primary school (academy) has managed to sell off their playing fields to help fund the gap. Parents are asked to donate but this isn't new as my eldests school 20 years ago was also asking for monthly payments.

[user1491572121]

Odins how did the parents take the selling off of the playing fields?

[OdinsLoveChild]

Not very well but another school in the academy chain has excellent sports facilities which they have agreed can be used.
The village really does need housing and lots of the parents moved out due to lack of housing so those parents are hopeful they can move back into the village once the houses are built.
I'd rather the children had a field to play on though.

[user1491572121]

Yes I know what you mean. They sold the fields of my old high school off...well they kept a BIT of it. Then the kids used the local leisure centre. Now surprise surprise, the school is closing and they're all going to be crammed into another local high school.

Here in Australia it's all so different. You have your "state schools" which are all much of a muchness...then you have "cheap" private schools which cost only a few grand a year...then, the really expensive private schools.

So, those people who in the UK would live in a nice area where the Ofsteds are excellent, they just pay the couple of grand a year for the cheap private school.

The state schools here in Oz expect a payment towards supplies though. That's the norm...unless you're on a low income and then you get something called a "school card" and that waives the costs.

[TrollMummy]

It's strikes me crazy that this government is willing to pour millions into new Grammar schools to help a minority of better off children while the majority of schools are left worse off due to these cuts.

[CamicaziTheBogBurglar]

It's strikes me crazy that this government is willing to pour millions into new Grammar schools to help a minority of better off children while the majority of schools are left worse off due to these cuts.

Is there any chance you could pop that on a billboard in every marginal constituency?

[Anon213]

So no new schools are allowed? Or they are allowed but no money is to be spent on them? It doesn't cost more to educate a child in a grammar school than any other type of school.

[Orlantina]

It doesn't cost more to educate a child in a grammar school than any other type of school

Apart from building new schools and all the support staff.

A crazy thought - why not invest MORE in our schools, which have significant cuts as costs are increasing?

Cuts are real. Cuts are happening. And Theresa May does not care.

[InDubiousBattle]

Anon213 I went to school in the mid 80's and we were provided with stationary then. There wasn't any TAs but there weren't any disabled children either. SEN weren't as well recognised or diagnosed and so many kids were written off as naughty or stupid who would now be given support. And as pp said they were allowed to hit students.

My sister is a primary school teacher and this week they started cutting the paper towels in half in an attempt to make them go a bit further. It's a disgrace.

[FuckADuckk]

Why can't each class have 1 teacher?! Why the ridiculous need for TAs? Granted if there is 121 SEN support required but why in a class of 'normal' (I don't know the PC term) children, do we need TAs?

Trips should be funded by the parents, only let people off if they provide bank statements proving they can't afford to contribute.

Grammar schools is a great opportunity, and makes more space in the mainstream for the average joes