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Like many others, yesterday I received a letter from the head teacher of my child's school. It explains in the clearest terms what actions we can take to pressure the government to rethink its proposed National Funding Formula. This will leave pretty much all Haringey schools worse off, which is why I reproduce the letter here in full:

Dear Parent/Carer

From 2018 the Government will start to fund schools differently. It is planning to introduce a National Funding Formula and it is consulting on this now.  There will be no new money for existing schools. The aim of the National Funding Formula is to divide the current funding pot differently.  There will be winners, with some schools in the UK gaining additional money, and losers.  It is estimated that 49% of all schools will see their budgets reduce. This number includes just about every school in Haringey and it is a matter of such serious concern that the Leader of Haringey Council, Clare Kober, has written to all Headteachers asking them to make sure that parents know about this.  You can read Claire Kober’s letter via this link.  Parents in Haringey have formed an organisation called “Fair Funding for All Schools” to express their concerns about the impact of the National Funding Formula on Haringey schools.  They have a website which can be accessed via this link and have written an explanatory leaflet, which you can read via this link.  All Haringey headteachers are writing to the Government expressing their concerns.  Now I am asking APS parents to do the same. We must do everything we can to try and retain the same level of teaching and support for your children that we offer now.

At APS we will see a reduction of approximately £360,000 through the next two years. This cut alongside external cost pressures such as increased National Insurance and Pension Contributions and the new Apprentice Levy to name just three means that difficult decisions must be made that are likely to impact upon educational delivery within our school. 

The consultation on the National Funding Formula is underway now and you can submit a response via this link:  

The consultation includes 18 questions however you do not need to answer all of them.  The Parents’ “Fair Funding for All Schools” Group has highlighted the importance of five of the questions (1, 10, 11, 13 and 14). You will see from their leaflet that they are suggesting the answers to questions 1, 11, 13 is NO in each case - because the Government has not got the balance of funding right and the minimum funding guarantee is too low.  They are suggesting the answer to question 10 is YES - because they have no argument with the principle, and that for Question 14 you tell the Government how the National Funding Formula will affect APS.

THE CONSULTATION CLOSES ON 22 MARCH 2017.  Please join Haringey Council, Haringey Headteachers and Haringey Parents in making sure the Government is aware of the negative impact of the National Funding Formula on our school budgets.

Thank you for your time on this matter.

Michael McKenzie

Headteacher

Alexandra Park School