Annual cuts to school's budget shares

[Oksana1975]

I am creating this post as a curious parent.

 

I have received a letter from the school my daughter attends about annual cuts to school's budget and just want to find out how other schools are coping with it. Our school is a very small village school with 7 year groups of approximately 30 children in each year. I would not mind paying an annual Gift Aid but worried that the further all schools go with finding their own solutions the higher chances that the Government will make future cuts.

 

Why Education suppliers are so overpriced?

 

The letter:

 

"Dear Parents and Governors,

 

You will know that schools nationally, alongside other public services, have suffered ongoing, annual cuts to their budget shares. We are very grateful for all the fundraising and support we have received over the years which has enabled us to sustain our educational provision up to now. Unfortunately the strain is increasing and with our Governors and PTA, discussions have been taking place thinking of ways to balance the budget and meet the educational needs of all our children. Many funded services have disappeared completely and we have to find funds when our budget is already stretched to the limit. Grants which supported areas of school life have also disappeared or will disappear this year. Some of our more long term parents and governors will remember a similar letter a decade ago when we were faced with the same challenge. We are not putting any additional pressure on our PTA who do a fantastic job year on year raising funds through social events for children and parents. Could we ask you to consider supporting the school in the following areas:

 

1. Find out if your company sets aside funds for educational establishments/educational purposes and let us know who they are and whom to contact.

2. Consider sponsoring any one of the resources listed below, or make a contribution towards any item on the list, through gift aid into the school’s charitable fund (Pledge Form attached).

3. Consider a monthly standing order (gift aided), for example £10 a month for a year.

We will acknowledge all sponsorship through our website. Please consider helping us to fulfil our vision and aims for all our pupils.

Yours sincerely,

 

Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx

On behalf of the Governing Body

 

Sponsorship Requests

1. 7 interactive whiteboard projectors £ 400 each - Total £2,800

2. Art resources £1,000

3. Music resources £1,000

4. Laptop replacements 6X £300 – Total £1,800

5. Interactive whiteboard subscriptions for excellent online resources across all areas of the curriculum £1,500

6. SEN resources and provision £2,000

7. Refreshing Playground Resources £500

8. History Books for the new national curriculum £800

 

 

Please return the Pledge Form/Suggestions Form to school and a member of the finance team will be in touch with you with a Gift Aid Form for your donation.

Thank you for helping us to make a difference.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...............

Sponsorship Pledge Form

Your Name…………………………………………………………………….(in capitals)

Telephone number………………………………….

E mail……………………………………………….

I Pledge £

For…………………………………………………………………………………(refer to list of needs above)

 

Company Name for School/Education designated funds which we could apply for:

 

Company Name……………………………………

Name of Contact…………………………………..

Tel No…………………………………………......

E mail……………………………………………..

 

Standing Order Form

I would like / would not like a standing order form (delete as appropriate)

Your name……………………………………………………………………(in capitals)"

 

 

[finleysmaid]

your school is not that small! both our local schools only go up to year 4 as we are in a three tier system! I wondered when I first read your info if this was the first step towards academy status...so that the school is in charge of their own budget (80% of schools are being asked to do this before 2020) ...however after further reading I suspect they are just trying to be creative with their reduced money....certainly not unusual around here. My daughters senior school didn't give you much choice about 'donating'!!!

[thumperrabbit]

I agree with FM when my children moved to high school we were also given a direct debt form to complete for donations.

we live in a fairly affluent area where not only my pre-school, but primary & high school have virtually zero pupil premium and they are struggling BIG time financially and yet schools just 2miles away have that much pupil premium it's untrue

Not a week seems to go by without some sort of fundraißing ventre going on - it's very sad

[Fredbear]

Do you think this is the start of privatisation of our education system through the back door. Alongside the dismantling of our Local Authorities.

Schools have always had to be creative in raising funds for the extras, but this appears to be about the necessities of running a school.

I fear it's going to get worse yet,:(

[Oksana1975]

I really do not know how schools do it. It must be extremely difficult to provide high quality education, CPD staff, maintain premises, etc and constantly think of fundraising ideas to remain financially sound. My worry is the more schools find ways to remain financially sustainable the more budget cuts can be expected in future. What is the breaking point? Is there a limit after which schools, parents and children can say "enough"? Maybe we need to start a petition in order to be heard? The Early Years sector is not in a better financial position either. It is sad that we need to tighten the belts on our sick thin waists.

[finleysmaid]

I really do not know how schools do it. It must be extremely difficult to provide high quality education, CPD staff, maintain premises, etc and constantly think of fundraising ideas to remain financially sound. My worry is the more schools find ways to remain financially sustainable the more budget cuts can be expected in future. What is the breaking point? Is there a limit after which schools, parents and children can say "enough"? Maybe we need to start a petition in order to be heard? The Early Years sector is not in a better financial position either. It is sad that we need to tighten the belts on our sick thin waists.

im afraid schools still get more financial help then PVI's .....I could do so much with their money. My local school has just sent staff on

training that I would never be able to afford

[Oksana1975]

im afraid schools still get more financial help then PVI's .....I could do so much with their money. My local school has just sent staff on

training that I would never be able to afford

So true

[catma]

Schools broadly get funding based on pupil numbers and the agreements made through the schools forum in how the direct Schools Grant from the DfE will be cut. This means choices re how that money is spent before it even gets to schools.

 

But on top of that this year they have to deliver on:

 

Complete national curriculum changes

Assessment without levels and assessment changes for SATs Yr2 and 6. I could go into how Kafkaesque this all is but I would probably just end up laughing hysterically in a corner! suffice to say noone knows what the threshold is for children to achieve the expected level until after the children sit the tests so DfE/STA can work out the threshold. And don't get me started on the SPaG tests. Or the planned times tables additional tests.

Academisation happening due to DfE pressure for Multi Academy Trusts etc

Changes to SEND and how children get additional funding (yet you still have to get them to the expected level at KS2 and 6 or risk Ofsted fail/academisation)

Teachers leaving in droves = a recruitment problem specially where teachers can't actually afford to live in the area because rental is so high (1 x bedroom flat at £1200 per month round here)

Risk of "coasting"/not meeting floor standards/Not making enough progress from the Baseline to Yr 6/not meeting any other shifting goal post = Ofsted fail/forced academisation regardless of intake/effort/success etc

 

It's all mounting up this year for every year group.

Edited February 18, 2016 by catma