Stone Roses stars’ school axes music A-level in cuts
IAN Brown’s old school is axing its music A-level due to funding cuts.
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys – one of the region’s top schools – say a squeeze in education funding has left them with no option but to stop its music A-level, along with its German and Latin courses.
Stone Roses frontman Brown was a pupil at the school during the 70s and early 80s where he met fellow bandmate John Squire and the pair bonded over their love of punk music.
But despite the school’s musicallytalented alumni, teachers say they are now having to slash their A-level courses due to a change in the government-set funding formula for schools.
And they warn funding cuts could also hit extra-curricular activities, such as the school musical productions.
Headmaster Tim Gartside told the M.E.N.: “As education budgets are reduced, it is often the extra-curricular opportunities and subjects which attract smaller pupil numbers that get squeezed first.
“At the school, music is very important to us with our prize-winning bands and orchestras. We are determined to retain music as a strong department because of the huge opportunities it offers to students to enrich their life experiences through love of music and the pleasure of performance.
“There’s more to good education than league tables. While a school’s exam results are important, it’s vital that students have a wealth of opportunities to broaden their horizons including music and drama.”
The latest warning comes after school bosses said they may have to start asking parents for monthly donations as a result of the government’s revised ‘fair funding formula.’
While some grammar schools already ask parents for regular donations, Mr Gartside said his school was considering asking parents for donations of £30 to £40 a month if the plan goes ahead.
The new formula, unveiled by Education Secretary Justine Greening at the end of last year, would impose cuts on schools in mainly urban and suburban areas, and redistribute funding to more rural regions that have received considerably lower per pupil funding for many years.
Mr Gartside said his school stands to lose £119,000 per year once the cuts have their full impact – on top of previous significant cuts to sixth form funding.