Teachers cut as cash crisis hits grammars

GRAMMAR schools are cutting teaching numbers, dropping A-level subjects and increasing class sizes despite Theresa May’s high-profile backing, it was claimed yesterday.

Heads said grammars were facing a funding crisis, sparking accusations that they are being ‘ betrayed’ by the Prime Minister – who announced plans to create a raft of new selective schools when she entered No 10.

Among them is the Henrietta Barnett School in North London, England’s best girls’ grammar, which has reportedly dropped several A-levels and sought donations from parents. St Joseph’s College in Stoke-on-Trent is cutting ten staff, The Sunday Times reported.

Andrew Fowler, the head of Dane Court Grammar in Broadstairs, Kent, said: ‘Ministers need to put their money where their mouths are – they’re not funding grammar schools adequately.

‘Our results are improving, but we’ve had to make nine redundancies and cutting out things like clubs and activities.’

Alan Smithers, professor of education at Buckingham University, said that ‘having promised much, Mrs May could rightly be accused of betraying grammar schools’.

The Department for Education said: ‘School funding is at record levels, with an additional £1.3 billion being invested in 2018- 19 and 2019- 20, including in grammar schools.’