London,
01
March
2017
|
11:07
Europe/London

Camden schools and parents urged to oppose funding cuts

With Camden’s state schools set to collectively lose over £3 million a year in government funding, Camden Council is urging headteachers and parents to voice their opposition via a government consultation on the matter.

Councillor Angela Mason, Cabinet Member for Children, has written to Camden’s headteachers to remind them that the government consultation on ‘National Funding Formula’ closes on 22 March. She also invites headteachers to write to parents to share information about the impact of the government’s proposals and highlight that parents in a number of London boroughs have come together to oppose these cuts and form a new campaign ‘Fair Funding For All Schools’. Their parent-led website includes guides to the consultation, model letters to MPs and other resources.

Councillor Angela Mason CBE, Cabinet Member for Children
“As a result of implementing the National Funding Formula, the government is going to reduce the amount given to Camden’s schools by £471 per pupil by 2019. As many heads across London have said themselves, this will have a dramatic impact on their budgets and the education and opportunities they can provide.

“Yet this needn’t happen. Instead of taking funding away from 70% of London’s schools to redistribute elsewhere in the country, the government could use just 1% of the Department for Education’s schools budget to ensure that no school in the country suffers a cut in their funding formula.

“The Association of London Councils have been vocal in their opposition to these plans, but I’m also pleased to see that a parents group has been formed across London to support this call, as it’s vital that parents and carers make their views known about the adverse impact this will have on their child’s education. That’s a powerful message.”
Councillor Angela Mason CBE, Cabinet Member for Children

Councillor Mason also highlights that under the government proposals the Educational Support Grant given to Camden Council for a number of services delivered to schools to help improve education will also be cut to £300,000 by 2020.

These reductions would be on top of financial pressures caused by the flat cash funding settlement for schools which is ‘failing to meet the additional costs of pension, insurance and salaries’.

To take part in the National Funding Formula consultation click HERE.