If 'every child matters', as the Labour Government policy declares – why are our kids in Hornsey & Wood Green getting over £1,000 less per head each in our schools than the kids next door in Camden and Hackney?
It's all because the Government classifies our local schools as 'inner London' when it comes to costs like teachers' wages (which makes the costs higher). But when it comes to Government funding to help pay them – then our schools get classified as 'outer London' (which makes the funding lower). Higher costs, lower funding – that doesn't make sense!
After lots of lobbying petitioning and meetings with ministers, including raising the issue with Gordon Brown at Prime Minister’s Questions, I got the government to agree the issue needs reviewing. But we have to keep up the pressure for that to turn into action – because our schools are having to get by on lower funds and higher costs every day in the meantime.
More news
- A Labour minister has rejected a direct plea for emergency funding from a local MP to address Haringey's £1,000+ per pupil funding deficit. The refusal came in a Parliamentary debate secured by Lynne Featherstone MP dedicated entirely to Haringey school funding where she outlined in detail the extent of the funding deficit and the impact on [...] read on
- Well - finally - on the record - the gross unfairness of the way the Government funds schooling in Haringey. Just briefly - we get about £1183 less per child than neighbouring boroughs like Camden, Hackney and Islington. That is around £35 million a year - or more importantly - if we got fair funding [...] read on
- Later today, 4pm in Westminster Hall, I finally get to put Haringey's case for fair funding to the Minister on the record. This is about the fact that our Haringey children get £1183 less per head than neighbouring boroughs. I have tackled Gordon in PMQs before (he agreed it was an 'anomaly'), met with now [...] read on
- Local MP Lynne Featherstone has secured a debate in Parliament on the unfair funding for schools in Haringey. The debate, taking place on Wednesday 4th November at 16:00, will focus entirely on funding for schools in Haringey. The current unjust system sees local schools receive over £1000 less per pupil than neighbouring boroughs. In the [...] read on
- To mark democracy week and help kick start discussions in local schools about politics, Lynne Featherstone MP launched her mini-writing competition at Alexandra Park School last week. The Hornsey and Wood Green MP helped students in a year 7 class brain storm on the essay topic ‘what I would do if I ruled the world for [...] read on
- A local Liberal Democrat councillor has asked that Haringey Council investigates safety concerns outside a local school, after reports of congestion and hazardous parking in the area. Councillor Lyn Weber visited Coleridge School last Friday (9th October 2009) to see problems with cars parking on yellow lines and on the corners of junctions with the busy [...] read on
- It may have been raining - but the sun was shining in every one's heart - for the opening of the splendid new building for Treehouse. Treehouse is the wonderful charity that set up an exemplar school for autistic children in Muswell Hill. It is the most wonderful, spectacular building - with the most wonderful and [...] read on
Concern at rising class size numbers in Haringey
Local Liberal Democrats have voiced their concern at new figures, revealing that Haringey, despite Labour promises, is one of only nine areas in the country where there are more pupils per class than 30 years ago. The Times Educational Supplement figures show that average Pupil Teacher Ratios (PTRs) across England improved from 23.1 pupils per teacher in [...] read on
Local MP makes case for fair schools funding to Minister on eve of consultation
Ahead of the imminent launch of a new consultation about schools funding in Haringey, Lynne Featherstone MP last week put the case of our local schools getting £1,000+ less per pupil than neighbouring boroughs directly to Schools' Minister, Vernon Coaker. The Hornsey and Wood Green MP, accompanied by Chair of the local Schools Forum, Tony Brockman, got confirmation from Vernon [...] read on
Rhodes Avenue student wins Lynne Featherstone’s Christmas card competition
Nine year old Aylin Acarturk was today presented with a special prize by Lynne Featherstone MP at Rhodes Avenue School’s Assembly after winning this year’s Christmas card competition. The year four student’s picture, of Santa going ice skating at Ally Pally, was chosen as the best entry in this year’s competition, themed ‘Santa Claus is Coming [...] read on
Links
- Haringey Schools & Education
At haringey.gov.uk
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