A CONSORTIUM of headteachers from the borough and beyond travelled to Westminster last week to deliver their message on fairer funding to the Parliament.
On Tuesday, February 21, the delegation from schools across Wokingham, including Bulmershe School and Rivermead Primary School, joined Reading East MP Rob Wilson for meeting with the Minister of State for Schools, Nick Gibb MP in order to share their views about funding, and the recruitment and retention of quality teachers.
The meeting discussed the national funding formula White Paper and consultation, which is due to end on March 22; increased pension and national insurance contributions for staff; and the application of the apprenticeship levy to schools, among other issues.
Mr Wilson promised headteachers ‘a voice at the top table’ and access to accurate and objective information relating to school funding.
He said: “It’s essential that the views of headteachers in Reading East are raised at the highest level, whether it be through my office or directly with Government Education Ministers. I invited headteachers here today so that they could speak personally with the Minister for Schools and I hope they will agree that our meeting proved to be very constructive.
“Both Reading and Wokingham schools were well represented and the Minister was able to listen to feedback and suggestions on a range of subjects, from the national funding formula and the wider context of school funding, to the importance about recruiting and retaining the highest quality teaching staff.
“There’s no doubt that there are challenges for local schools – this is only exacerbated through operating in an environment where some people have sought to frighten parents into believing doomsday scenarios about the quality of their children’s education. Notwithstanding the irresponsibility of this approach, my role as MP for Reading East remains unchanged: I am committed to delivering excellent education for every pupil across the constituency, and maintaining a positive dialogue with school leaders is crucial to realising this ambition. They understand that I am committed to improving education and have seen how I have leveraged huge additional funding for schools in Reading East over the past decade.
“I’m grateful to all the headteachers who made the journey to Westminster and look forward to further engagement – along with visits to their schools – in the months and years ahead. I’d also like to thank the Minister, Nick Gibb, for taking the time to meet with us.”
