'We should fund schools properly'

Oldham Academy North

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THE borough's schools face budget cuts of nearly £17 million by 2020, according to teaching unions.

The NUT and ATL say that places such as Oldham with high numbers of disadvantaged pupils will be hit hardest by government spending plans, inflation and proposed changes to how school funding is allocated.

And they have launched an interactive map (schoolcuts.org.uk) which shows how individual schools could be affected.

But the figures have been disputed by Oldham Academy North - the school which it is estimated will lose the most money per pupil in the borough.

The unions calculate that 92 per cent of schools in England face having their budgets cut by the end of the decade. Primary schools will be on average £96,481 or £401 per pupil worse off in 2010 and secondary schools will lose on average £290,228 or £356 per pupil.

Oldham's schools and academies face losing £16,710,048 according to the formula.

Oldham Academy North secondary school in Royton will be £719.553 worse off by 2020 - the equivalent of £905 per pupil or the average salary of 19 teachers.

The other top five schools looking at the biggest cuts per pupil are primaries:

Roundthorn Academy £857 per pupil

Stoneleigh Academy £824 per pupil

Oasis Academy Limeside £792 per pupil

Christ Church CE Primary £752 per pupil

Campaigners have long called for a fairer school funding system because per-pupil rates vary widely, but plans to have this in place have been delayed until 2018/19.

However, the unions say that reallocating inadequate levels of overall funding will not address the funding crisis.

Concern

And they fear that the overall cuts will lead to job losses at a time when pupil numbers are increasing, and a less varied curriculum.

Tony Harrison, joint secretary, Oldham NUT, said: "Oldham children will be among the most badly affected by these changes. No head teacher should be put in the position of increasing class sizes, leaving building repairs undone or cutting staff and resources simply to balance the books. Nor should any parent accept this for their child.

"We are one of the richest countries in the world. We can and we should be funding our schools properly."

Iain Windeatt, secretary of Oldham ATL, added: We urge the government to increase the overall funding for schools. If it just reallocates the existing budget many children will lose out, with some of the most deprived children being hit hardest.

"It is ill-conceived to think the formula for schools' funding can be reformed alongside real term cuts to the overall schools' budget."

A spokesman for E-ACT, the academy chain which runs Oldham Academy North, said: "While we support the work of The NUT and ATL, we do not recognise the figures listed on the unions' website as being an accurate forecast of Oldham Academy North's funding. In particular we reject the comments made by the NUT around job losses and a narrowing of the curriculum. We await information on future funding from the government."

Roundthorn is run by Focus-Trust, which also sponsors Coppice and Freehold schools in Oldham. A spokesman for the trust said: "Focus-Trust is fully aware of the financial challenges and uncertainties that lie ahead and are working with all our academies including those in Oldham.

"We have already taken a number of steps to manage this, including producing five-year business plans."