Schools losing money

Ashfield MP Gloria De Piero says real terms cuts to education funding are starting to have serious implications on schools across the region.

And the MP has slammed Government cuts to school funding after figures revealed the extent of schools’ falling incomes.

She said: “I have had many conversations with local headteachers about the pressure their school’s budget is under and these figures show that things are only going to get worse.”

Figures released by the National Education Union – which are taken from official data – show that all but four schools in Ms De Piero’s Ashffield constituency will have lost income between 2015-16 and 2019-20, because the amount of funding per pupil they receive will have fallen.

Huthwaite’s Brierley Forest will lose £98,363; Annesley, which will lose £82,762; Kingsway in Kirkby, which will lose £71,022 and Abbey Hilll in Kirkby, which will lose £62,612.

The four primaries which will see an increase in income are Brookhill Leys in Eastwood, by £37,278, Huthwaite’s Woodland View, by £20,554, Greenwood in Kirkby, by £13,102, and the new Lawrence View in Eastwood, by £15,690.

Ashfield School in Kirkby, by far the biggest school in the area with nearly 2,500 students, will lose a massive £492,475.

Sutton Community Academy is also a big financial loser, with income cut by £258,045. Kirkby College will lose £179,086; while Selston High School will lose £172,689.

Quarrydale Academy in Sutton and Eastwood’s Hall Park Academy are set to lose under £20,000 each.

A Department for Education spokesman said:

“We are investing an additional £1.3 billion in school funding, over and above existing plans, and the core schools budget is set to rise from almost £41bn in 2017-18 to £43.5bn in 2019-20.

Under the national funding formula, Nottingham schools would attract an increase in funding of 1.1 per cent , based on 2017-18 pupil data.

This represents an increase of £2.1 million.”