County Councillor Derek Kennedy for Hexham West which includes the site of the Queen Elizabeth High School has reacted to the “funding crisis” letter issued by the Headteacher
Derek who has a daughter at the High School said “My wife Gill and I were absolutely shocked at the level of cuts the Government has planned for Hexham’s High School.
Nationally the School Funding Formula is re-allocating the same total amount of money but in a different way and because QEHS is viewed as having students from good areas, we are losing a lot of money in funding to other schools”
The website Schoolcuts indicates that the QEHS is to lose 12% of its funding by 2019 over £520,000 per year or £591 per pupil
Which equates to 14 teachers.
“I have spoken to many Hexham parents and they cannot believe the size of the cuts by the Department for Education. ”
The Trustees and Headteacher have asked parents if they would like to pay a regular contribution to the running costs of the school to make up the shortfall.
Parents cannot really afford this extra payment this is supposed to come from general taxation. Some parents have more than one child at the school, what are they to do?
“I feel sorry for the Trustees and Headteachers, who must have had a terrible dilemma to put the begging bowl out to help pay for the school. “
The Government must hang its head in shame that it has let Hexham’s schools down so badly.
Councillor Kennedy has written to the Hexham MP demanding an immediate investigation and reinstatement of funds to protect Hexham schools.
In addition Hexham Middle school is set to lose £176,000.
You can sign an e-petition calling on the government to stop school cuts
https://www.schoolcuts.org.uk/#/contact-us
You can read more in the Chronicle and the Hexham Courant