HOW THE SCHOOLS TARGETED THE TORIES

APRIL 21: Tweet from official account of St Wilfrid’s Catholic School in Crawley, West Sussex: ‘What about education, mental health services, the NHS, social care, etc, still voting Conservative?’

APRIL 26: Letter to parents from Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School in Purley, south London: ‘The Government keeps stating that they are spending the most money ever on education, £ 0 billion. This is disingenuous.

‘While our budget for the new financial year is in balance, it is clear that this situation is tenuous. We urge you to lobby your MP during this election period to register your concerns regarding funding cuts and to sign a petition which you can find on the schoolcuts.org.uk website [run by the NUT].’

MAY 5: Letter to parents from Poulton-le-Sands Primary School in Morecambe, Lancashire: ‘There has been a lot of publicity about real term cuts to school funding. This is a very real issue and I am writing to make you aware of how it is affecting our school and YOUR children. We have to find an extra £ 68 per child for this year or an extra £2,196 per week. This is simply not possible without making cuts.

‘I will be sending our further communication about the cuts and their impact and action you can take to help.’

MAY 19: Letter to parents from 3,000 schools: ‘I am writing to you in order to raise the issue of school funding and the significant current financial difficulties that all of our schools are now facing.

‘Headteacher colleagues and I feel that ahead of the forthcoming general election it is crucial that parents, carers and all other interested parties raise the issue of school funding “on the doorstep” with all prospective candidates.

‘School finances are in such a dreadful state that we believe that it is vital to urge you to raise it as a key issue prior to 8 June. As professionals we are only interested in securing fair and adequate funding for the children that we educate. This is under severe threat.’

MAY 19: Guide accompanying the mass letter with questions to ask political candidates: ‘£3 billion is being withdrawn from schools budgets in England.

‘Without adequate funding schools can’t employ enough high quality teachers. Some schools are struggling with poorly maintained classrooms and buildings and in some cases unresolved health and safety issues.

‘How will you ensure that school budgets are protected in real terms for the duration of the next parliament?

‘Please avoid telling me that more is being spent on schools; we have more children of school age than ever and costs are rising.’