Co-ordinated protest at six Lewes schools against funding cuts

Parents, children and staff will join forces at Lewes Priory, Southover CE Primary, Western Road Community Primary, South Malling CE Primary, Wallands Community Primary and Iford and Kingston CE Primary schools at school pick-up time to highlight the difficulties they are facing.

Campaigners say headteachers are being forced to make decisions about which basic supplies they can afford and which services will have to be reduced because there is simply not enough money.

The Government claims that education funding is higher than ever. According to the campaign group Stop School Cuts, since 2015 schools in East Sussex have lost out on £37,013, 517 because of Government cuts to per pupil funding.

The parents behind the Save Lewes Schools campaign have been working with headteachers and other staff to help address the funding crisis which they say is threatening children’s education in East Sussex.

Meanwhile, Lewes MP Maria Caulfield recently visited Wallands Community Primary School to talk to teachers and students.

She met with headteacher Debbie Collis and discussed issues around school funding and a recent Ofsted report that gave Wallands a ‘requires improvement’ rating.

The MP took the opportunity to discuss school funding with parents, and how she is lobbying the Government to provide more funding for local schools including Wallands.

Last year she and other East Sussex MPs were able to secure an eight per cent increase in funding for local schools and are hoping to be able to continue this success.

Ms Caulfield said: “I know that many parents and teachers are concerned about school funding and this is why I am committed to lobbying the Government for more funding for schools in the Lewes constituency.

“We managed to get an eight per cent increase for them last year, but we need to go further to ensure that local children can get the best possible education.”