Around 500 parents and pupils took to the streets last week to protest school funding cuts in Wandsworth.
On Friday, May 26, protesters representing Furzedown, Ravenstone, Sellincourt, Hillbrook, Fircroft, Telferscot, Henry Cavendish, Rutherford House, Alderbrook, Eardley, Penwortham primary schools, Balham Nursery, and Graveney and Chestnut Grove Secondary Schools marched from their school playgrounds after school to Tooting Common.
The proposals for the Fair Funding Formula, which would result in school funding spread more equally across the UK, have been met with wide spread disapproval as some schools need more funding than others.
The official Government projections, if the plans go ahead, show 61 out of 66 Wandsworth schools will experience a funding reduction of 1.84 per cent by 2019, which equates to around £2 million.
However, according to figures released by the NUT, Wandsworth schools could be set to “lose £15,612,273 by 2020” which they say is the equivalent of losing 419 teachers or £603 per pupil.
Monica Kitchlew-Wilson
The head of Furzedown Primary School, Monica Kitchlew-Wilson, spoke out in March about the damage the cuts would do.
She said: “If we end up with fewer teachers, which we will, we will have fewer extra teachers to support those who need extra help.
“There will be children who need extra support who will not get it – they will get less teacher time and less quality teaching as a result of these cuts.”
Three teachers at Furzedown Primary School are leaving next year and the funds are simply not there to replace them. The head estimates a loss of six teachers by 2020.
The school has already been forced to asked students to vacuum at the end of the day because it cannot afford to replace the cleaner.
Tooting Labour parliamentary candidate Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, who attended the event, said: “I am passionate that every child gets the best start in life and I was impressed to see so many children taking ownership and fighting for their right to a good education.
“If re-elected, I will continue to stand up for our young people, their parents and our valued teachers.”
In March, Wandsworth Council called on the Government to have a “serious rethink” so that London schools are not penalised by the cuts.
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