Let's make sure the David v Goliath school funding fight is not for nothing

JPCT 190314 S14120932x Tanbridge House School, Horsham. Head, Jules White -photo by Steve Cobb SUS-140319-112911001

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

As the fight for fairer school funding continues, headteacher Jules White has put pen to paper on behalf of the Worth Less? campaign.

Representing every primary, secondary and special school executive in the county, Mr White wrote:

“Long before the national curriculum was a well worn educational policy, the story of David and Goliath was taught to children up and down the country.

Adults of that vintage will remember how the boy king to be – David – slew the mighty warrior – Goliath – against all the odds.

In helping to co-ordinate the Worth Less? campaign on behalf of school children, their families and schools across our county, the story that I enjoyed so much as a child has taken on renewed meaning and importance.

Never more so, than when I joined heads, parents and pupils (from Years 1 to 12) and travelled to the mighty pillars of Downing Street in order to make our case for desperately needed interim funding.

We hope that this should tide us over until the delayed new school funding formula begins to take effect in 18 months time.

The chances of success, as we faced the imposing buildings of government, seemed challenging and daunting to say the least.

Unlike David though, our group enjoyed some help on the day.

We were, for example, joined by a large number of national and local media outlets including our highly supportive local press and BBC Radio Sussex.

Our local MPs were out in force as well and their hard work in this area should be acknowledged again too. As funding decisions are made in the next few weeks, headteachers are only too aware that our school finances are dependent on their efforts and input.

And this is where the on-going David and Goliath metaphor really kicks in. You see, nobody would have remembered David if he had lost and Worth Less? will have counted for nothing unless £20million of transitional funding is secured for all West Sussex schools for the upcoming financial year.

Debates and discussions are one thing, getting the money is quite another.

As our political leaders ruminate publicly about increasing the national debt or raise concerns over ‘alarmist’ scenarios being discussed openly by headteachers, it is worth re-stating a few vital facts.

No school leader wants to do anything other than run their school or academy effectively. No school leader would even contemplate closing their school or academy early to some students if there were other better alternatives and no school leader wants to be involved in a funding campaign when their ‘day job’ is enough to be getting on with.