Outrage at School Funding Proposals

As the Conservative County Council consult on school funding reforms as part of the Government's required national changes, schools in the Redditch constituency face suggested cuts of £1.86 million over the next 3 years.

Described as a simplification in school funding, WCC suggest over 40 different models, including Vaynor First School in Headless Cross gaining £197,184 while at the same time Abbeywood First School in Church Hill would lose £127,526.

Even taking into account the smaller proportion of schools who could gain, Redditch schools will be left almost three quarters of a million pounds down.

Rebecca Blake, Labour's Parliamentary Spokesperson said "Cuts to school budgets of this magnitude will be devastating for those worst hit.  How can it be justified that children attending Walkwood will gain, while children 3 miles down the road at Birchensale will lose out.  Even across the county, Redditch is unfairly hit with 3 out of 4 of our high schools losing £570,000, yet Worcester's High Schools have no cuts at all.  Cuts in Redditch are not necessary when you consider that £2.3 million has been wasted on the Government's new free schools which have failed.  I urge the Government and County Council to think again, children get one shot at school and they deserve better". 

Rebecca, also local councillor reported "In conversations with Headteachers, Governors and fellow Councillors, it's clear that not enough weighting is being given to areas of high deprivation, including schools that have a number of children who qualify for free school meals. Two tier versus three tier is clearly back on the County Council agenda, considered unfinished business from the extremely disruptive Redditch Review many years ago that saw a number of schools in Redditch close, followed closely by a second phase". 

Ms Blake highlighted "Fairer funding campaigners have been let down.  In opposition the Government pledged to tackle the difficult issue of school funding formula that saw Worcestershire lag behind Warwickshire.  However the answer cannot be for our schools to lose nearly £1,86 million.  In 2010 Worcestershire was ranked 141 out of 151 local authorities, since then we have fallen to 147th place and that was before these cuts were suggested.  Parents deserve to know what is being proposed and I believe they will be as outraged as I am". 

Coverage by Redditch Standard