Governors' plea to government over Isle of Wight school funding fears

WITH ISLE of Wight schools face funding cuts totalling millions of pounds, governors have appealed directly to the government's education secretary for more money.
School unions have criticised the government's new education funding formula as simply redistributing an already inadequate pot of funding, and have warned Island schools are facing a projected overall budget cut of £5.5 million over the next four years.
In a letter to Justine Greening, chairs of governors representing 13 schools have argued the Isle of Wight faces specific challenges — including a difficulty recruiting teachers, a lack of outstanding schools, making it tough to learn best practise from their neighbours, and a lack of BESD (behavioural, emotional and social difficulties) provision, increasing budget pressures on struggling mainstream schools.
The letter, written after MP Andrew Turner advised schools to take their case to the government, states: "We wish to highlight three principal reasons as to why the Isle of Wight deserves additional financial support beyond what is being offered through the revised funding formula.
"There are many other factors and reasons why the Isle of Wight should be recognised as having unique challenges and difficulties and these may be alluded to by others on the Island with or without the support of our MP.
"We all certainly feel that in comparison the Isle of Wight is deserving of more funding to help education across the Island and enable our children to have the best opportunities to achieve to their potential."
The government has promised the Isle of Wight an extra £900,000 next year, but schools have warned it will not cover rising costs.
The letter has been signed by the chairs of governors of Carisbrooke and Medina Colleges, Medina House School, Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, East Cowes, Shalfleet and Yarmouth Primary Schools, Haylands Primary School, Ryde, Northwood Primary School Academy Trust, St Helens Primary School, St Saviours Primary School, Totland, the federation of St Mary’s, Ryde, and St Thomas of Canterbury, Carisbrooke, Catholic Primary Schools, and St George’s Special School, Newport.