MONEY promised towards the education of every child in Gloucestershire is under threat, head teachers have warned.

Last year the Government pledged a minimum amount of funding per secondary pupil of £4,800.

But some of this cash may now have be diverted to cover the rising costs of high needs support for pupils in schools.

As a result, schools in the area are facing a massive funding crisis which could lead to the loss of teachers, the axing of subjects, plus cuts to equipment and books.

Dr Stuart Wilson, head teacher at Marling School in Stroud, said that schools in the county have been underfunded for years, and the reduction in funding will put many schools in a ‘difficult financial position’.

“Gloucestershire schools have been underfunded for years and last year the schools forum made a commitment to reach these minimum funding levels for its schools as soon as possible and anticipated that it would do so in 2019/20.”

However at a recent Gloucestershire schools forum, head teachers were put in the difficult position of being presented with a shortfall in funding for high needs pupils and being asked to meet the shortfall by moving funds from the general education budget.

“The forum voted against this option,” Dr Wilson said.

“But this still leaves Gloucestershire County Council with a shortfall in funding that needs to be met, and they may seek Secretary of State permission to move the funds anyway.”

Head teacher Andrew Harris said the funding shortfall could lead to huge cuts to Katherine Lady Berkeley School's budget

Andrew Harris, head teacher at Katherine Lady Berkeley School in Wotton said that could mean a cut of up to £190,000 from his school’s 2019/20 budget.

“Given the financial constraints of the last 10 years such a cut will have a significant effect on our provision,” he said.

David Drew, Stroud District MP, is so concerned about the situation that he has called for a special debate in the House of Commons about the state of education funding in Gloucestershire.

He said: “The county council’s proposals to reduce school funds in a bid to put a ‘sticking plaster’ over the £3 million hole in its high needs budget, is evidence of the dire straits of our education funding.

“Our secondary schools will face cuts of £100,000 to £200,000 in their budgets if this goes ahead, leading to redundancies and curriculum cuts.

“The Government is failing to recognise or support the increasing numbers of children who require extra support to fulfil their potential.

“Forcing councils to juggle pots of money to try to make ends meet, makes a mockery of the Government’s pledge to introduce ‘fair funding’.”

Richard Boyles, cabinet member for children and young people at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “We know that our schools are under increasing financial pressure – and the county council has backed them in highlighting this to government and MPs.

“Despite an overall increase in funding, more children in Gloucestershire than ever before who need intensive help and support at school which is has resulted in an overspend of the high needs specific block of the Dedicated Schools Grant by £3million.

“We will continue to work with the Schools Forum to make a decision on how to bridge this funding gap.”