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?

[DoctorDonnaNoble]

Wurtz - there are many misconceptions about the grammar system.
Green - you do realise your school is far more likely than not to be losing money as a result.

[UnmentionedElephantDildo]

The unions say 98% will lose out.

But the Dept of Ed gives exact numbers of schools affected, and it's 54% gain to 46% lose, and the end result is that all have their funding on the same formula.

The London factor matters, not because London is special in itself, but because it's readily identifiable and about 14% of UK population.

[GreenGinger2]

Money should go where it is needed more.

[DoctorDonnaNoble]

Green - we have more SEN than you'd think. Children with SEN are sometimes exceptionally clever you know. The two are not mutually exclusive.

[DoctorDonnaNoble]

Green the money is NOT going where it's needed more Clacton is having it's funding CUT.

[PlayOnWurtz]

It also matters because of education (and 11+) tourism from London. The counties surrounding London suffer due to the lack of places or simply better schools (see the latest league tables released this week) so they force their children to commute daily meaning local children lose out. These children then routinely fall asleep in class and don't contribute to the extra curricular clubs etc.

[noblegiraffe]

and it's 54% gain

Under the formula, which they then promptly lose and more under the budget cuts.

[PlayOnWurtz]

You will find children with autism and dyslexia never mind physical health issues that require statements at grammar schools

[Ivanaflump]

The supereselective near me (which ds attends) has a very high number of dc with autism attending. The school is very underfunded and these dc deserve more input as much as any other.

[NannyOggsKnickers]

Most of the schools set to gain, and this will be by a small margin, are primaries. Most of the schools set to lose, considerably, are secondaries. These schools have already been hit by funding changes to sixth form provision and my roll backs in mental health services for young people and by alternative provision. Most secondaries in my area no longer have school counselling, a school nurse or an LEA PRU to send kids with high level behaviour issues to. I teach a class of 25 least able with no TA, even though most students have a need of some kind. The school cannot afford to employ E ought TAs to support. We have ten TAs for a student body of 1600 students.

[GreenGinger2]

So is that under reorganisation( if so why,is the need still there) or in real terms. If in real terms I have some sympathy.

[noblegiraffe]

Schools with higher than average SEN lose out because the first £6000 of any EHCP funding per pupil needs to come from the school budget.

There is an active disincentive for schools to cater well for pupils with SEN.

[DoctorDonnaNoble]

Green it's under reorganisation. The numbers have been decided on areas that are too large. Not on a school by school basis. There are pockets of severe deprivation in many affluent counties. Essex is but one example.

[HelenaGWells]

I am aware. I am annoyed. I've signed various petitions etc but genuinely have no clue what else we can actually do. I feel powerless right now as the torys are screwing over our country but no one else has a plan to sort it out.

On a grass roots level I'm on the school pta and we work with the school to try and fund raise for things the school can no longer afford. I give my time and money for this. Some of us have also helped the governors with suggestions for ways the school can raise revenue. Some of these have been implemented.

[minifingerz]

"These schools have already been hit by funding changes to sixth form provision and my roll backs in mental health services for young people and by alternative provision. Most secondaries in my area no longer have school counselling, a school nurse or an LEA PRU to send kids with high level behaviour issues to."

And yet the government is making a call for secondary schools to do more to help children with mental health needs!

My dd wouldn't have finished secondary school or sat any GCSE's without the support of her learning mentor.

[minifingerz]

"The supereselective near me (which ds attends) has a very high number of dc with autism attending. The school is very underfunded and these dc deserve more input as much as any other."

I know people with children with ASD at grammars.

Many of these children have had private assessments, have EHCP's and parents who have incredible expertise in their children's condition. They have powerful advocates in their parents.

I know other children with ASD at my dc's primary who waited years for a referral, whose parents are helpless to support and advocate for them in relation to their schooling.

[minifingerz]

"Money should go where it is needed more"

Money should go where it's needed.

All state schools need more money than they currently have in order to deliver the standard of education that the majority of parents think is necessary for children to function well as adults, and the constant improvement that the government is pressuring teachers to produce.

[Ivanaflump]

That's quite a generalisation Mini, luckily I know that's not the case with the dc that I know.
Having a dd with ASD, I am quite involved with the schools in the area and funding etc.

Unfortunately people will always deem children as more deserving or less depending on their intelligence, not on how badly they cope in life.

[HainaultViaNewburyPark]

I wonder if people would support a rise in income tax to fund education and the NHS and all the other public services that they are so find of?

How about a 21% tax band (and then a 42% one for higher earners)?

Costs are rising faster than wages, and therefore - presumably - the gap between tax receipts and expenditure is widening.

You simply can't have low taxes and high levels of spending. It isn't sustainable. So which will you choose? Higher taxes or cuts in services?

[DoctorDonnaNoble]

I'd choose closing the tax avoidance loopholes!

[Ivanaflump]

People always expect someone else to find everything. There is a housing shortage, NHS is underfunded, the road infrastructure needs improving, as well as education.
It's always up to someone else to fund it.

[SheldonCRules]

Our area will lose hugely and it was already in the lower end of the table funding wise. I've emailed several people, shown support at the local school and will attend the local meeting that's been arranged to fight the cuts.

Sadly, many won't be bothered about the cuts as they either use private school or school is just seen as childcare or something children have to do.

Whilst it's not taking money out of their pocket, such as increased taxes or benefits, it will not be seen as a big deal by many. The reality is that schools will lose staff, resources etc and children's outcomes will be affected.

[DoctorDonnaNoble]

If tax was properly collected from corporations, If vanity projects like grammar schools, HS2 and the trident replacement weren't happening, then the money would be there. It is a political decision where our money goes.

[HainaultViaNewburyPark]

I'd choose closing the tax avoidance loopholes!

That would only be a very short term solution, and the revenue it would generate is too unpredictable to be the basis of long-term spending plans. The reality is that if you want public services available to everyone, then everyone has to fund them. That means higher taxes for everyone - so both the 20% and 40% tax rates will have to increase.

[noblegiraffe]

Anyone who thinks it isn't in the interests of the entire country to adequately fund education is a total idiot.