Queens Speech 'raises more questions than answers' for schools

The Queen's Speech raised "more questions than answers" about school funding, according to one headteacher.
Picture courtesy of bbc.co.ukPicture courtesy of bbc.co.uk
Picture courtesy of bbc.co.uk

Jules White, head of Tanbridge House School and organiser of the Worth Less? campaign for fairer funding, was not impressed by the brief mention given to schools during today's speech (June 21).Her Majesty told the packed House of Lords: "My government will continue to work to ensure that every child has the opportunity to attend a good school and that all the schools are fairly funded."She made no mention of plans to scrap universal infant free school meals or the proposed expansion of the grammar schools programme.There was however the announcement of a "major reform" of technical education.Mr White said: "The Queen’s Speech raises more questions than answers. It is worrying that a commitment to every child ‘attending a good school’ is only supported by the vague notion that all ‘schools will be fairly funded’."Does this mean that schools will be funded equally badly as is the case now?"

The WorthLess? campaign, which is now supported by more than 4,000 schools in 17 counties, has been running for more than two years. Headteachers have appealed for adequate funding for all schools and warned a lack of cash has led to job losses, cuts to the curriculum and could also see schools reducing their hours to a four-day week.

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Mr White said: "The evidence is clear; jobs are being lost, our curriculum offer is depleted and school budgets are in crisis. "Alongside parents, school leaders have made it abundantly clear that they desperately need our system to be adequately funded. "This can only come with greater investment, stabilised costs and clarity over efficient use of scarce resources."Schools must not be put in a position where they have to request that parents subsidise their own child’s education. "The idea that schools can be given advice by the Department for Education on how to make more efficiencies will also sit badly with headteachers who are being asked to undermine their basic provision again and again."The government said that it had heard the message from the electorate; it’s high time they acted to put things right and fund schools in a way that every child deserves."

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