News / Bristol
Bristol’s MPs fight against school budget cuts
Vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils are being hit hardest by school budget cuts, say Bristol’s four MPs as they call on the Government to rethink its funding plans.
Union representatives and head teachers have warned of a “rock bottom” moment if the city’s already-strained education system suffers a further £32.6m loss, expected by 2019 under current proposals.
The figure is equivalent to £663 per pupil, or 875 teachers being made redundant.
is needed now More than ever
Children, parents, teachers, union representatives, politicians and pressure groups united to rally against the cuts to education
People turned out in their thousands to protest against the cuts and now all four Labour MPs have joined forces in a bid to highlight the difficult decisions Bristol schools are already being forced to make.
In a letter to education secretary Justine Greening, Thangam Debbonaire (Bristol West), Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East), Karin Smyth (Bristol South) and Darren Jones (Bristol North West) urged the Government not to impose its so called ‘fairer funding formula’.
“Increased cost pressures, caused by a number of factors, of which the National Funding Formula is part, are set to cut public funding to state schools across Bristol,” they said.
“This means hard-working staff are being asked to deliver more and more on increasingly strained budgets.”
They outlined a “worrying theme” of head teachers concerned about the viability of targeted interventions designed to provide support to pupils who are struggling.
Schools have also warned of redundancies and cuts to additional support for disadvantaged and vulnerable students if further cuts are imposed.
The MPs said: “When schools are faced to make choices like this, it not only inhibits their ability to ensure all students can attain minimum standards in their education. It also restricts students from providing support to talented students who could go on to thrive.”
They disputed the Government’s claim that education is receiving more funding and said head teachers across Bristol are clearing stating that the amount of money per pupil is falling and this is having a direct impact on their ability to provide high quality education for their pupils.
They asked Greening to meet with them and Mayor Marvin Rees to discuss how the proposed funding formula can be changed.
The four Bristol MPs have spoken out in a joint letter to the education secretary
Read more: Thousands march in protest against education cuts
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