Public meeting to discuss cuts to school funds

Teachers’ unions are concerned that unless the Government allocates additional money for education, schools and academies will lose huge amounts in real term cuts – which they anticipate could rise to £3billion a year by 2020.

Under the Government’s new funding formula, they estimate that 98% of schools could lose out, leading to increased class sizes, a loss of school staff and cuts to extra-curricular activities and resources.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the ATL are calling on the Government to take immediate action to inject much-needed money into an already beleaguered system and protect children’s education.

An NUT spokesman said: “Scarborough has been designated an opportunity area eligible for additional funding but this will not enhance provision if basic budgets are cut.

“The Government has promised to protect school funding, but this means freeze funding with no funding for increased cost pressures caused by inflation, rises in employer contributions to pension and national insurance, nor funding for the implementation of the living wage.”

The public meeting is open to all teachers, governors, parents, councillors, interested people and local MP Robert Goodwill to discuss the impact of cuts to school budgets and the introduction of a National Funding Formula.

The meeting will be in the Concert Room at Scarborough Library, Vernon Road from 5pm-6.30pm today (March 16).

• See next week’s Scarborough News to discover how the budget cuts could impact schools in the town.