Cuts to School Funding

The future funding situation for Cheshire Schools in general and Audlem Primary School in particular is dire.

The report below is reproduced from the letter sent to parents by Becky Jewitt, Head of Audlem St James C.E. Primary. Although it is the children attending the school who will be most disadvantaged by the proposed funding cuts, the situation should be of great concern to all residents, since the children represent the future of the village.

Cheshire East is currently one of the worst funded Local Authorities for education. The main aim of this new formula was to address these inequalities nationally. Due to insufficient money being put into education, this aim has not been addressed and the new proposed formula means there will still be a significant variance between the highest and lowest funded authorities nationally.

What will that mean for Audlem St James C.E. Primary?

Every school nationally receives a basic amount per student to fund the 'basics' for each child's education (i.e. staffing, equipment, lighting, heating etc). This funding is called the age weighted pupil unit (AWPU).

As a result of the proposed funding formula our school will receive less AWPU for each child. By 2019 this will be the equivalent of losing £74,965 in our school budget, which equates to losing £483 per child. This is not enough to provide a 'basic' education for the children at our school and will lead to cuts to staffing and resources.

What can you do?

• Complete the online consultation here by 22nd March. I am aware that the consultation is not easily navigated and many of the questions are difficult to unpick. Please remember, you do not need to respond to every question in the consultation. The key message in responses is that the proposed AWPU/basic funding per child is not enough to provide a 'basic' education.
• Contact your local MP with your concerns regarding these proposed changes.
• Support the march against these cuts in Sandbach on the 18th March at 11am.

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