Christleton High School Students

Funding Cuts

Funding Cuts

(Posted on 15/03/17)

15 March 2017 

Dear Parent/Guardian 

You will no doubt be aware from recent reports in both national and local media, that all Cheshire West and Chester schools will be subjected to funding cuts as a result of the new National Funding Formula. The proposed cut for Christleton High School currently stands at 2.9%, which is estimated to be £139,000 per annum. 

This, coupled with both rising employment costs and increasing inflation, will undoubtedly have a profound impact upon the whole education sector’s ability to provide the highest standards of education possible in the future. Indeed, there have been estimates nationally that potential average savings of around 8% will be required at each and every school, just to maintain current provision. 

When I wrote to you in February, I promised you that we will be doing all we can to ensure that the impact and disruption on Teaching and Learning here at Christleton is minimised. That work continues. I also promised that I would raise my own concerns through the local headteachers’ group to which I belong, and through my own professional body as part of the consultation process that closes on 22 March 2017. This I have done and I can also confirm that, together with the Chair of Christleton Governors and our Business Director, a detailed response has been sent to the consultation, on behalf of the school itself. 

Since the Budget Statement last week, a number of parents have approached me and asked how they too can best raise their concerns about the proposed cuts and general under-funding within the sector. In response, I have advised that, if they felt that they would like to do so, the best ways to make their voices heard would be through either or all of the following methods:

  • By writing to our local MP, Mr Christian Matheson, via his website against the cuts.
  • www.chrismatheson.co.uk/schoolcuts, who is collecting signatures in a campaign
  • By contacting, by email, the Secretary of State for Education, Justine Greening MP on greeningj@parliament.uk
  • By contacting, by email, the Schools Minister, Nick Gibb MP on gibbn@parliament.uk
  • By responding to the consultation at the Department for Education website via SchoolsNationalFundingFormula.CONSULTATION@education.gov.uk In closing, let me personally reassure you again, that we are working very hard on our future budget and will do all we can to ensure that the impact and disruption on Teaching and Learning here at Christleton is minimised. We remain immensely proud of what we do, the difference we make and the opportunities we create for our young people. The efforts of all us here at Christleton will be focused on protecting those values. Thank you for your continued support.

 

A D Stenhouse 

Headteacher

 


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