ANYONE suggesting Bury’s schools are better off, not worse, is refusing to acknowledge the drop in per pupil funding facing our schools.

Pupil numbers are rising so the budget is divided between more, so, per pupil, funding drops.

Furthermore, inflation is up along with national insurance, pay, pensions, equipment, resources and student support all costing more than before.

Not to mention the newly imposed apprenticeship levy and schools now having to fund £6,000 from existing budgets for each

child needing special educational provision.

The figures referred to as “politically motivated guesswork” on this page last week are, in fact, taken from the Department for Education. In 2015, primary schools in Bury received £4,172 per pupil, in 2020 this will be cut to £3,873.

Secondary schools received £5,034 per pupil in 2015, this will be cut to £4,856 in 2020.

This totals £6.6 million. 73 out of 74 schools across Bury will lose out as a result.

To suggest otherwise is attempting to play smoke and mirrors with school funding.

I recently carried out a detailed survey of all our local schools and 40 per cent of Bury headteachers responded and the results

make for damming reading (full results at jamesfrith.org/saveourschools), 65 per cent said pupil numbers have risen since 2015. Three quarters of Bury schools have been forced to cut staff due to funding pressures.

Eighty four per cent have cut spending on books and equipment, 56 per cent have cut special educational needs provision, 72 per cent have cut student support.

And a large majority of schools tell me they will be forced to

make further cuts over the next two years.

Through my cross-party work on the Education Select Committee, I’ve heard testimony from headteachers and experts across the country that matches the reality for schools in Bury.

And part of my job is to speak up about their experiences and demand a change of direction, not throw out a party line at election time.

That so many of Bury’s schools continue to be outstanding is a testament to the extraordinary work of our brilliant teachers and school leaders in the face of such adversity.

A view that schools can continue to succeed as they have with fewer resources implies we shouldn’t need to invest in the education of future generations and just hope we’ll get by with less investment in education.

No parent, governor or headteacher that has spoken to me agrees with that assessment.

James Frith MP

Member of Parliament for Bury North