Government urged to rethink school plans
MACCLESFIELD’S MP has urged the Government to re-think proposed funding changes which will see almost a million pounds slashed off school budgets across the town.
David Rutley met with education minister Nick Gibb to challenge plans which will see every single secondary school and all but six primaries lose funding within two years.
He was joined by a delegation of other MPs, headteachers and the leader of Cheshire East Council, Rachel Bailey, to call for the borough to get a better deal.
The changes – which means the government chooses how much funding each child gets rather than the local authority – mean Cheshire East would become the worstfunded local authority in England.
It is due to the proposed new national funding formula announced by Education Secretary Justine Greening, which is aimed at increasing money targeted at schools with additional needs such as deprivation.
The government claims the changes make the funding system fairer. But analysis shows schools in Macclesfield and Poynton will face cuts as a result of the per-pupil funding.
Mr Rutley, who last week met headteachers Richard Hedge from Macclesfield Academy and Nic Brindle from Fermain Academy to discuss the situation, said: “After pushing for changes to make the system of funding fairer we did not expect it to reduced to make Cheshire East the lowest funded in the country.
“It is very concerning. The minister listened to our concerns very seriously and said he would do more financial modelling to better understand how the proposed finding levels have been arrived at. I am going to work with CEC and local schools to review any potential anomalies that have got us in this position. We will pushing for an improved settlement.”
In Macclesfield, the hardest-hit secondary school is Fallibroome Academy which could see £156,000 slashed from its budget, and Ivy Bank primary school could lose £37,000 annually.
Only a handful of primaries will get more money, with Upton Priory and Hurdsfield both better off by more than £20,000 each.
Councillor Bailey added: “Our children and young people have a right to at least the same minimum national curriculum offer and opportunities which other similar schools and authorities will have.”