The headteacher of Parmiter’s School has sent a letter to parents warning them about the financial difficulties that face schools across the country.
In the letter, Michael Jones describes how the Department for Education’s budget re-allocation of £1.3billion from existing budgets is “simply inadequate” but said that funding constraints have not “impacted adversely” on the quality of teaching or other areas.
Mr Jones said school budgets have been “under pressure” for some time and will manage its budget so “minimal impact” is on its students’ learning experience.
The letter also mentions after school clubs and jobs could be at risk.
It reads: “The senior leadership team will work tirelessly to mitigate the serious challenges presented by inadequate funding, despite often being faced with having to make difficult decisions which may have a direct impact on colleagues.
“Please be assured that we will take whatever measures and action may prove necessary to preserve the quality of staff we employ.”
The National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) indicated that seven out of 10 school leaders consider that their budgets will be untenable by the academic year 2019/20. Meanwhile independent analysis by the Institute of Fiscal Studies concluded that the amount of spending per student in England has fallen eight per cent since 2010 and funding for sixth form students has fallen by 21 per cent.
Last month governors of the school were one of five signatories of a letter to the Guardian to call for more money for education, saying that a staffing crisis is threatening to undermine their capacity to deliver excellent state education.
The letter from five leading secondary schools, including Watford Grammar School for Girls, say they are struggling to fill posts, particularly in science, technology, engineering and maths despite their popularity and academic success.
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