The government’s long-awaited national funding formula, due to the introduced in April 2018, was set up to distribute funds more evenly across the country, ensuring that the funding allocated to schools matches its need.

However, the proposed changes will mean that the funding each pupil attracts to the school will be determined nationally, and there are concerns that there will be no new money available and that many schools will be worse off.

A new interactive map has now been created by the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), which predicts how schools across the country will be affected in real terms, with an estimated 92% of schools potentially losing out over the next 4 years.

The NUT and ATL argue that unless additional school funding is allocated, there will be widespread cuts to school budgets, alongside cuts to funding per pupil and cost increases.

The real-term school cuts may also be needed to cover rises in pension, pay and national insurance contributions.

In schools across Kirklees, the estimated reduction in real terms by 2020 is minus £30,433,511. The average amount that would be lost for every pupil in Kirklees, as a result of the reduced budget, is estimated at minus £518 per pupil and the estimated equivalent number of teachers that would be lost is 817.

Potentially, schools in Lindley will be hit by the funding changes, and in real terms, this will mean that schools will lose huge amounts of money. Lindley Junior School and Salendine Nook High School Academy could both experience 5% budget cuts, with 8% cuts to Moorlands Primary School, 11% cuts to Reinwood Infant & Nursery School and 12% cuts to Lindley CE Infants School.

By 2020, Lindley CE Infants School may see an annual budget change of minus £149,062, with minus £414 potentially lost for every pupil as a result of the reduced budget and the equivalent of 4 teaching posts lost.

Lindley Lib Dem Councillor Cahal Burke, said:

“I’m really concerned that schools across Lindley ward and across Kirklees will be forced to make massive funding cuts by the Conservative government. It could mean schools are forced to increase their class sizes and cut resources and staff.

Many schools will be under enormous pressure, and it could disproportionately affect smaller, rural and village schools, which we have in Lindley.

We need to acknowledge that this is a real issue that could affect all of us. We also need to know that the council is doing everything it can to support our local schools and to ensure that investment continues.

I strongly endorse the campaign by the NUT and ATL and other teachers’ unions to push for additional school funding. Through support and investment, we can ensure that young people continue to get all the opportunities they need and deserve.”