Struggling school asks for donations
A SCHOOL has laid out in stark detail cuts it’s being forced to make from the start of the new school term in September.
Ton Yr Ywen Primary in Cardif has also taken the unusual step of writing to parents asking for charity donations to help balance the books in the face of ongoing budget pressure
Headteacher David Griffiths said the number of teaching assistants and support teachers will be reduced, among other “difficult decisions”.
Against a background of education cuts across Wales, Mr Griffiths has written to parents saying the school has been “grappling with the current funding challenges”.
His letter to parents says from the start of the new academic year next month Ton Yr Ywen Primary will:
Assign all support teachers to classes and suspend the support interventions they currently lead.
■ Cut the number of teaching assistants in nursery classes from four to three, reducing the ratio of staff to children from one to eight to one to 10.
■ Cut the number of teaching assistants in reception classes from four to three, changing the ratio of staff to children from one to 10 to one to 12.
■ Cut the number of general teaching assistants in the junior department.
■ Spend less money on teaching materials, including books and technology.
■ Spend less money on supply cover for classes which may have to be split if teachers are off sick.
■ Have less money for learning support programmes if children need extra help.
■ Have less money for repairs and maintenance.
Mr Griffiths adds the school is “not alone”, quoting Welsh Assembly figures highlighting how funding to schools has fallen 7.9% in real terms since austerity began in 2010.
And he urged parents to contact their local MPs and councillors about cuts to school funding.
“With increasing costs impacting upon schools for areas such as gas, electricity and water, as well as the increasing costs falling to schools because the local authority’s budget has been so drastically reduced, the overall effect on school budgets has been increasingly negative,” he writes.
The letter goes on to highlight how schools across Wales are under pressure.
“We will work hard to ensure that overall budget cuts have the least impact as possible on our pupils. However, rising costs and depleted overall budgets mean that tough decisions have to be taken.”
In a separate letter to parents, Mr Griffiths asks for one-off or regular donations from parents as suggested by the school’s parents’ forum.
“This year we have seen a reduction in funding from the council and Welsh Government and it is becoming increasingly difficult to balance the budget and continue to develop and enhance learning experiences for our children,” he wrote.
“It was suggested at a recent Parent Forum that we invite donations from parents to support the school budget. We are therefore asking parents to consider making voluntary donations. The Friends of Ton-Yr-Ywen is a registered charity and we are able to claim back Gift Aid from the Inland Revenue on eligible donations.”
Chair of governors, Heath and Birchgrove Labour Councillor Graham Hinchey said money has also been saved by replacing experienced staff who have retired with cheaper, lessexperienced teachers.
“It has been difficult and tough decisions have been made,” said Cllr Hinchey, who is also cabinet member for children and families and vice chair of governors at Birchgrove Primary.
He said all schools are under pressure and steps taken at Ton Yr Ywen mean it is forecast to balance its books by the end of the financial year next April.
“Schools are struggling. Austerity is cutting extremely deep. We are into a decade of austerity.
“We have to make really hard decisions. We are now predicted a balanced budget but it has been difficult.”