The Government is currently considering how to change the funding formula for schools to make it fairer. The claims that Thurrock schools are facing cuts are simply not accurate.
In truth, Thurrock will benefit from these changes which will see funds redirected from richer areas to those with higher levels of deprivation. There is an additional £1.4m coming into Thurrock. The following schools will all get more money:
Lansdowne, Purfleet, Quarry Hill, Gateway Primary, Aveley, Somers Heath, Deneholm, Woodside, West Thurrock, Herringham, Shaw, St Marys, St Thomas’s. Hathaway, Ockendon, Harris Academy Chafford Hundred, Grays convent, William Edwards, Gateway Academy.
East Thurrock: Hassenbrook Academy, St Clere's School, Gable Hall School, Stanford-Le-Hope Primary School
In the case of Hathaway and Ockendon, the increase is significant. It is utterly self-defeating for any of these schools to support opposition to the funding changes.
It is very disappointing that the NUT are using misleading figures to fight these proposals which are simply designed to make sure that funds are directed in a fairer way. It means that some schools will gain and some schools will lose. But overall there is more money, not less, going into our schools. I hope parents are not misled. At a time when there is pressure on Government budgets as a Government we have made sure that funding for schools is protected. And here in Thurrock we have built new schools, Gateway Primary, Harris Mayflower and soon Harris Riverside.
You can see the figures under the new Funding Formula below.