Am completely shocked at the difference in 2 secondary schools I have visited in the past couple of weeks, why the huge difference??!!...

[UnfortunatelyMurderedMe]

Have just came back from the open evening from a local comprehensive mixed school, it looked lacking in money, in need of an overhall etc, outdated equipment, everything I remember about high school actually

But last week I went to an all girls school that was up to date, clean, not scuffed to pieces with modern equipment, not falling apart etc....

Why the huge difference?

Do they get the same money per pupil, or is the little bit on the prospectus(sp?) that says On the first day of term you are expected to donate to The School Fund that makes the difference, are parents pouring thousands in?

Please enlighten me.

Well as you're presumably shopping around on open evenings, why didnt you ask?

I dont know A bit shell shocked I guess.

Is the shabby school due to undergo any re-building programme soon? Its Building Schools for the Future round here!

Its had 12 million spent on it. The drama rooms looked new, the rest of it was really really shabby.
I am going along to another school this evening that dd tell me is same sort of shabbyness.

i taught in a school that looked pristine. was in fact in brand new housing. looked fabulous.
no way i would ever have allowed ds to go there though. not in a millinon gazillion years.

I don't think that new building make a good school.

However I don't know the answer apart from poor management and budgetting in the past perhaps.

Schools get their funding based on many things like the number of children who have free school meals. The funding structure is very complicated.

Also you would be surprised how many schools ask for regular parent donations, a friend of mines son recently started at a very well know oversubscribed grammar school and they were sent a direct debit form that suggested a parental contribution of £60 a month (voluntary of course) this type of money makes a huge difference to the overall school budget.

I used to teach in a cash strapped school that looked shoddy and the reasons were

1. Financial mismanagement to the extreme.
2. A high number of pupils that cost a to teach and the funding did not cover it.
3. Exclusions and special school placements that all cost money.
4. Kids that wrecked everything - Daily things were smashed up, graffitied.
5. Tired stressed teachers who had no energy for displays keeping on top of their room.
6. Tired stressed teachers who were off sick a lot so money was swallowed in supply staff.
7. school had a hard nut reputation so would loose staff or not get them, classroooms that nobody owns so they get wrecked and again money used for supply.

Where I teach now we have lots of portacabins so it looks a little tired but it will soon all be brand new

1. Money from Building schools Future
2. Tight financial management
3. Good behaviour so pupils look after the place.
4. More middle class, wealthier intake who donate money.
5. Happy teachers who willingly create exciting pleasant classrooms.

I would think twice about sending dd to a school that looked tired and run down.

Hmm, the shabbys school head has been there for 8 years, so if it is being badly financially managed it is under him.
I am going back for a second visit next week, to see if I can see where the 12 million went.
Have just been to another spanking looking school, 20 million was spent there, and you can see it.
The shabby school had scribbles along the corridors etc. Now if I was a head...I would get the kids on detention painting the walls. Maybe thats not allowed these days...