11 Plus Exams Forum

I don't know if people are aware, but the 4 Grammar Schools in the Southend area of Essex are running a campaign regarding the funding difficulties that they are experiencing due to the way the Education Funding Agency operates. This also affects other Grammar Schools and high performing schools throughout the country. I assume that if you use this forum, you would be sympathetic to the cause. You can help support the campaign by signing the on-line petition at https://you.38degrees.org.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; You have to input 'Southend' in the search box. The site will give you further information about the campaign. Please take the time to have a look. Thank you

KSW7 wrote:... funding difficulties that they are experiencing due to the way the Education Funding Agency operates.

Nothing to do with the way the schools operate presumably? They have decided to select their pupils on the grounds of "academic ability", and have known for decades what implications this has for their intake of children from more deprived backgrounds.

KSW7 wrote:I assume that if you use this forum, you would be sympathetic to the cause.

Why do you assume this?

OP; better the school, less is the funding. The objective is to run it down so it eventually opts to become non-selective and less of a threat to private schools, where most of the politicians' children go any way. Also helps in perpetuating the hold of children from indies in uni admissions and then in the professional careers.

Tiffinboys - sorry that is not correct.

Funding is now being distributed more fairly. GS don't need lots of additional support for students; most of their needs can be met by a teacher.

I think it somewhat ironic that well-funded GS are now bleating because the cuts we are all facing have touched them a bit. Well-managed schools won't have an issue ...

tiffinboys wrote:OP; better the school, less is the funding. The objective is to run it down so it eventually opts to become non-selective and less of a threat to private schools, where most of the politicians' children go any way. Also helps in perpetuating the hold of children from indies in uni admissions and then in the professional careers.

Are you being serious?

I suspect that these GS are a tad upset that other schools are benefiting from pupil premium funding, as a general rule GS tend to have fewer eligible pupils.

Deleted by user.

No - the funding in the past, was by an amount per student - regardless of which A levels they did.

There was a change to bring the funding in line with colleges and a further change now.

Changes to the number of A levels are more to do with new syllabuses not funding.

Two of the governors (one a senior teacher and other one a parent) have said that funding is coming down and school is facing difficulties. Don't know what to believe.

There was a change to bring the funding in line with colleges and a further change now.

Presumably, colleges were getting less funding. Now all would get reduced funding.

Just to clarify, I have actually sat and read through my son's school's accounts and I can assure you that it is not negligent in managing it's budget. Put simply, the amount paid by the Education Funding Agency does not cover the school's running costs such as staff salaries, pensions, utility bills etc etc. Cuts are affecting all state schools. If you check the BBC website, you will see a current article about comprehensive schools facing difficulties. I have also been dealing directly with the Education Funding Agency and have no faith in their ability. The caseworker I have been emailing couldn't understand the school's accounts and I had to explain them to him.
If you don't want to sign the petition that's fine, it's not worth aguing over!

I'm just saying that the schools are falsely representing the situation.

They chose to be Academies ....