Thame Headteacher ‘alarmed’ at education cuts

THE Headteacher of a Thame school has expressed his frustration and alarm over the Government’s education funding cuts and its lack of transparency.

David Wybron

David Wybron, who is Headteacher at Lord Williams’s School has said in a statement today that he is not alone in expressing his frustration and alarm over funding cuts.

“The proposed new ‘fair funding’ formula takes money away from schools like Lord Williams’s and preserves higher funding for schools in traditionally higher funded authorities, he stated.  “For example, students in high funded areas will still be funded at circa £6,000 per head whereas for students in Thame it will be around £4,000 and this is before deprivation factors draw down more funding but not for Lord Williams’s.  “We cannot just keep absorbing cuts without there being an impact on the service we provide. We were hopeful that the government’s commitment to fair funding for schools in 2018 would lead to a significant increase in our funding. Not only has the introduction been delayed until 2019, but we have a proposed reduction in our funding from 2019. How can that be?”

Mr Wybron’s statement goes on to say that Oxfordshire schools are in the lowest funded 40 authorities and that the government has decided to put extra resources into the lowest 10 authorities. “The government has also decided that higher funded authorities can lose no more than 3% of funding,” he explained. “The situation is particularly worrying because we are already feeling the effects of reduced funding. The government persists in saying that the Schools’ Budget has not been cut but the Schools’ Budget does not include Sixth Form funding and a range of support staff grants. Also, because of an increase in student numbers nationally, the amount to be distributed is less.

“Lord Williams’s is an outstanding school and our vision is to be outstanding in everything we do, including the quality of resources for all students. We budget carefully and spend diminishing funding wisely. We have absorbed a reduction in Sixth Form funding of circa £250,000 over the last four years and education support grants have been reduced significantly over this period. The government encouraged and continues to encourage schools to set up as academies with money moving directly into schools from local authorities in order to provide the services the local authority used to provide. The government plans to remove that funding completely by 2017/18.”

On-going effects of cuts 

“Having anticipated a significant increase in funding for 2018/19 because of the much anticipated new funding formula, we are now having to plan for significant budget cuts over the next four years. We are also facing increased staffing costs with increasing national insurance and pension contributions. The school’s finances are in a good position but our reserves will not cover such a rate of reduction of funding by 2018/19.

“The National Audit Committee estimates that schools will face real terms cuts of around 8% over the next three years, which for this school amounts to around £800,000. The recent announcement from the prime minister on mental health issues for schools is particularly puzzling given that this school, along with many others, has been dealing with this challenge for the last 10 years. Funding to support students and their families with an increasing range of mental health issues has been reduced hugely. There is currently a 20 week waiting time for an appointment with CAMHS (Children and Adult Mental Health Service) and support services for some of our most vulnerable students, for example students with autism, have been removed.

“The previous government administration spoke about ‘The Big Society’ stepping in to help with support services. Oxfordshire County Council decided that the needs of our vulnerable children and their families could be best served from a hub in Didcot! The present government has explicitly stated that there will not be any extra funding to address shortfalls in the service. Schools will continue to be the front line in terms of support and will be asked to do what is almost impossible.”

Lack of transparency

Mr Wybron made the following appeal to the Government:

* Present an accurate picture of school funding to the public
* Recognise the difficulties schools face in terms of the educational and social demands
placed upon them and increase funding
*  Change policy and not divert extra funding to set up new grammar schools

He concluded: “Support from our parent body will be vital as we respond to theses challenges. We are not afraid of hard work but the challenges are great. Requesting politicians to be honest about the situation would at least be a step in the right direction but I am not holding my breath!”