My News
School Funding
Devon has slipped almost to the bottom of the Whitehall grant table, however, I would point out that despite receiving one of the worst funding allocations, Devon schools are among the top in the country for academic results.
I would describe the funding settlement as an ‘outrage’, and would urge teachers and parents to ‘take to the streets’ outside parliament to protest.
The
County Council had been hopeful of improved national funding, after a determined
lobbying campaign aimed at ministers and officials, but have actually ended up
in a worse position.
Devon has dropped two places, and is now 146th out of the 149 education authorities in the country.
In financial terms it means that every pupil in County Council schools will be about £337 worse off than the national average. This is absolutely appalling – an outrage in fact.
I could not believe the news when I heard it at a County Hall meeting. I would urge all those interested in fair funding to demonstrate outside Whitehall. It is just not fair, and our children will suffer as a result of this inexplicable decision by the Government.
Schools cost virtually the same to run wherever you are in the country. Teachers and other school staff are paid at national wage rates, and books and equipment, heating and power, cost the same whether you are in Tavistock or Epsom.
Our heads and school staff have to meet national standards in curriculum and exams, and yet every child in a Devon school is judged to be worth £337 less than the national average.
We are not asking to be treated in any way as a special case; we just want to be treated fairly. If you translate that funding disparity to Tavistock College it is worth about £600,000 and would pay for 17 teachers, so you can imagine the difference that could make to our children’s education
