Schools ask parents to make donations as government cuts cause education funding crisis

Parents of children at two schools in England have been asked to donate money as an education funding crisis worsens.

The drastic move was made at Queen Elizabeth High School and Hexham Middle School in Northumberland in a battle to survive amid government cuts.

In a letter to parents, the schools’ executive headteacher Graeme Atkins wrote: ‘I am writing to ask for your support.

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‘As you may be aware from recent media coverage, schools up and down the country are becoming increasingly concerned about an emerging funding crisis.

‘There is, fundamentally, not enough funding in the national pot to meet the school’s needs and the situation is set to become much worse.

‘To help relieve the pressure, we are now taking the unprecedented step of asking parents for a voluntary contribution towards our schools’ costs.

‘We do not undertake this lightly. However, faced with the prospect of making cuts that will affect our students, we believe it would be irresponsible not to ask for your help.

‘We appreciate that some families are hard pressed and will not be able to make a financial contribution, which is absolutely fine.

‘However, for those who are able – be it parents of existing students, former students or indeed members of the wider community – it will help enormously.’

The letter includes a standing order form and gift aid details for parents to make donations.

Queen Elizabeth High School could lose £521,000 from its budget by 2019 because of funding cuts, according to estimates by unions, while Hexham Middle School is looking at a drop of more than £176,000 in the same period.

Such decreases in funding could lead to the loss of 19 teaching jobs at the schools, unions said.

Mr Atkins said the projected shortfall could put pupils’ education in jeopardy.

‘Class sizes would become bigger, our curriculum would narrow, extra curricular activities would reduce and good staff would potentially leave,’ he said.

Jo Davies, a parent with children at Hexham Middle School, told ITV News: ‘Parents have expressed everything from disbelief to utter horror.

‘Most of us feel that if we start to support the school financially that it will become the norm, and give the government the idea they can cut funding even further.’

A report published last week by the Education Policy Institute predicted the average secondary school in England will face losses of almost £300,000 because of government cuts.

Kevin Courtney, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: ‘Letters like this will become more and more common as all schools face real terms cuts in funding per pupil.

‘Schools in poorer areas, of course, don’t have this option open to them, so that deprived pupils are at greatest risk.

‘This is no way to run state education system in one of the richest countries in the world.

‘The government cannot run our education system on a shoe string and needs to invest in schools.’

Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said: ‘Despite the government’s claims to the contrary, our schools are facing a funding crisis.

‘There is simply not enough money to go around. The challenges facing our schools are stark.

‘As the National Audit Office and many others have confirmed, our schools will have to make a staggering £3 billion in savings a year in real-terms by 2020 due to the significant cost pressures they face.

‘As a result, funding will be cut for every child in 98 per cent of schools in England, and schools with the most deprived children will lose funding. These cuts will lead to increased class sizes, fewer teachers and support staff, less support for vulnerable children, especially those with SEND [Special educational needs and disability], and in some cases schools will close.’