FUND.US campaign for Billingshurst Primary School as cash crisis looms

Pupils took part in a video for the FUND.US campaign at Billingshurst Primary School

Headteacher Helen Williamson said the school has already made cuts to staffing levels over the last two years, but anything more will impact on children.

The FUND.US initiative launched this week is supporting this paper’s Worth Less? campaign in asking for families to make their voices heard for West Sussex schools, which have the lowest funding in the country.

Ms Williamson said the school could end up in ‘significant difficulty’ by 2018-19, but ‘everything that can be cut, has been cut’.

She said: “Cutting staff further would have a significant impact on how the school runs, it hasn’t so far because of the hard work of those who are there, we’ve absorbed it.

“We don’t have many books, resources, we don’t have many computers, IT, those things, we just can’t afford them.

“Our first thing is to keep staffing up and not cut it any further.”

The primary school, which incorporates an infants school from reception age up, only qualifies for basic per pupil funding, but employment costs have risen.

FUND.US is now well underway with a video from pupils and badges at the school gate to encourage families to make a response in the national funding formula consultation.

Parent governor Abi Smith said she had three children at the school and the funding situation was a scary one.

“We’re really trying to push that this is where we can respond to it, this is where we make a difference.” she said.

“We’re helping parents with the answers to the consultation document, which is a minefield, but we know parents want to help, so we’re trying all we can!”

To comment on the consultation, visit http://tinyurl.com/BPS-funding