Received by Owl:
“I wonder whether you’re aware/ could draw attention to the fallout from the budget cuts in our local school.
Parents discovered today that at Sidmouth Primary School funding cuts are having a direct impact on the children and structure of the school. They have had to reduce the number of classes in the school so children are being taught in mixed Year classes: Years 3&4; 5&6. This cost-cutting exercise means that teachers will be teaching an incredibly broad spread of abilities within the same class: they will have to differentiate hugely to cater for the weakest Year 5 and strongest Year 6 pupil for instance. Classes are heading towards 30 so it’s not as if these mixed groups are resulting in smaller groups.
When the school became an academy parents were told that this would mean more autonomy and access to more funds. This clearly has not materialised yet the former headteacher now seems to be sporting the title of ‘Executive Headteacher’. I imagine that his salary could cover the cost of a couple of those disbanded classes…”
East Devon Watch 