North West Education Summit

Clem Coady, Cumbria Branch President, reports on the first North West Education Summit, organised by NAHT…

Cumbria was well represented at the meeting held in Manchester, Friday 20th April, and attended by head teachers, parents, governors, politicians and wider school organisations such as the National Association of Small Schools. Everyone present attended to share their deep concern about the lack of funding in education and the drastic cuts schools are being forced to make, just to balance the books.

The event focused on the issue of school funding, and was not party-political, with MPs from across the north-west and political spectrum invited, although no Cumbrian MPs attended.

The event followed a meeting in September 2017 at Parliament at which I represented Cumbria.  At that meeting we called for an inquiry to be opened by the Education Select Committee. This has now come to pass with key MPs directly involved and listening to representations including ours on behalf of Cumbria’s schools.  At the North West Education Summit Lucy Powell MP, a member of the Education Select Committee spoke at length

Lucy Powell MP

and answered questions on policy decisions.  She explained how she is challenging the government on education issues, highlighted the new inquiry that has been launched on school funding and called for as many schools as possible to respond in order to help champion our cause.

I was glad to add a Cumbrian voice to the many expressing their concerns, and to share some of the difficult and complex decisions school leaders are making across our county.  We currently face a £10.9m cut to Cumbrian schools, with 234 out of 272 school facing real term cuts – averaging at £197 less funding per pupil.  2017 saw real cuts to Cumbrian schools with £27m cuts facing schools. Through adopting the New National Funding Formula, and the additional re-allocation of DfE funds of £1.3bn we believe our national campaign has eased the pressures we are facing here in Cumbria, although many schools across Cumbria continue to report severe funding difficulties, so there is more to be done.

Helen Jackman from the campaign group Penrith and Carlisle Parents Against School Cuts also gave a very passionate speech on how the cuts were impacting on children’s lives across our region, and the way that parents have played an essential role in lobbying for fair funding for all schools.  “Eighteen months ago we’d never have imagined that we’d be doing something like this,” Helen said.  “But we had started to notice cut backs and losses of staff in our local schools. We were very concerned, but felt completely powerless to do anything.

“Then, this time last year we received a joint letter from our local heads inviting all parents to a meeting with Rob Kelsall and Graham Frost of the NAHT.  We heard head teachers like Clem Coady speak out in an unprecedented way about the impossible financial decisions they were having to make due to the cuts in school funding. They told us how they had trimmed as much as they could and that they were down to the bones.

“Finally we had the facts and could rise to the challenge.

“Within hours a parent group was created. We set up a Facebook page, met our MP, Rory Stewart and organised a protest. All within 10 days of hearing from the Heads. Over 500 people led by a Samba band, took to the streets of Penrith, our small market town. It was widely reported in the local news and even made Channel 4.”

Next steps

It would be great if all schools could respond to the Education Select Committee on the school funding issue.

As a professional association, we are continuing to gather the views of Cumbria’s school leaders.  If your school is affected we would like to hear from you.

Clem Coady, Cumbria Branch President