Cash-strapped school cuts jobs

Funding squeeze leaves governors struggling to balance the books

Barming Primary School has made five members of staff redundant after being hit by biting funding cuts.

In a letter to parents, Helen Crampton, chairman of the board of governors said while the decision had been taken with great sadness, it was necessary if the academy in Belmont Close was to remain financially viable.

The redundancies will see the departure of deputy head teacher Amanda McLouglin, along with four cover supervisors who help manage classrooms while teachers are away.

Another assistant also left while the school was carrying out a consultation on the changes.

Mrs Crampton said: “You may have heard on the news about the cutbacks schools have faced and continue to face. It is becoming increasingly more challenging to run schools and to put forward a balanced budget, especially where funding is being reduced, but the cost of living, resources and staffing is on the rise yearly.

“The rationale behind this decision is that Barming Primary School, along with many other schools in Britain, will face finan- cial challenges unless significant changes are made to our current spending forecast.”

As well as staff redundancies, Barming, which has more than 400 pupils, will remove a temporary cabin during the school holidays and will reduce spending on rental, waste, photocopying and insurance.

It will also seek sponsorship from private companies and other organisations.

Swingeing funding cuts are expected to cost schools across the UK £3 billion by 2019, accord- ing to the National Audit Office.

Some Kent education providers have taken increasingly desperate measures to stay in the black – including Oakwood Park Grammar School, which appealed to parents for money to buy new GCSE text books and class- room interactive whiteboards. On the Isle of Sheppey two senior teachers at Eastchurch Primary School have taken voluntary redundancy after governors unveiled plans to slash costs.

Barming Primary School did not wish to comment further.