Outrage as heads’ letter tells parents: Fight Tories for more cash

The only way for our cash-starved schools to function effectively is for proper investment

HEAD teachers have been accused of exploiting children and parents for political gain over plans to send a letter to two million families complaining about Tory funding policies.

The letter, distributed by 4,000 schools, called on parents to get involved with local activist groups to ‘campaign vigorously’ on behalf of ‘cash-starved schools’.

School leaders in 17 council areas agreed to send out the appeal, which tells families ‘it is crucial that the new Government responds quickly and effectively to a growing crisis in our schools’.

The action has been organised with the help of West Sussex Schools Campaign for Fairer Funding, which posted the letter on Facebook yesterday.

It said the £4billion of extra funding promised by the Tories for schools over the next five years would not cover rising costs. It claimed many are at ‘crisis point’ and have had to reduce staff numbers.

It read: ‘The only way for our cashstarved schools to function effectively is for proper investment… to be made into existing schools. The Government must also avoid giving schools additional money through a new formula and then taking it back again through “hidden costs” and stealth taxes.’

The letter went on to say shortfalls in funding and teacher shortages are having ‘a profoundly negative effect on school provision’. It said: ‘It is crucial that [heads] use their unique influence to hold the Govern-

We encourage parents to campaign vigorously to secure funding From the head teachers’ letter ‘Left has a grip on schools’

ment to account on behalf of every child and their families.’

It also urged them to ‘encourage parents and carers to campaign vigorously to secure adequate school funding’.

But yesterday critics accused those behind the letter of playing politics with families’ fears.

Chris McGovern, of the Campaign for Real Education, said: ‘This funding campaign is highly politicised and comes amid a drive to bring down the Tory Government. The Labour Left have a vice-like grip on schools.

‘These teachers are exploiting the emotional vulnerabilities of parents. They are saying that their children will suffer. Parents and children are being used and manipulated. It is despicable.’

He added: ‘They are also covering up their own failures by blaming everything on funding. Improving standards is not about throwing money at the problem. The real issue is how we teach the children.’

A poll by the Times Educational Supplement before the election found 68 per cent of teachers expected to vote Labour and 8 per cent Tory.

The letter will be sent to parents in Brighton, East Sussex, Northamptonshire, Surrey, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Oxfordshire, Thurrock, Cornwall, Hertfordshire, Peterborough, Wokingham, Devon, Norfolk, Suffolk, West Sussex and Dorset.

One of the organisers of the letter, head teacher Jules White, who co-ordinates the campaign Worth Less?, said last night: ‘We have no political affiliation.

‘ For a considerable time schools have faced significant real-terms cuts in funding. At a time of severe cuts and financial crisis, school leaders believe that it’s vital that parents are provided with factual information that is impacting on their children’s education.’

The Institute for Fiscal Studies recently concluded that once rising student numbers and inflation are taken into account, the extra £4billion promised by the Government would lead to a real-terms cut in funding per pupil between 2016 and 2022.

The Department for Education said: ‘The core schools budget has been protected in real terms since 2010 and is set to rise from £41billion in 2017-18 to over £42billion in 2019-20 with increasing pupil numbers.

‘But we recognise that schools are facing cost pressures and will continue to provide support to help them use their funding in cost-effective ways.’

‘They are being manipulated’