Wednesday 31 December 2014

Local Northumbrian Middle Schools get big funding boost as part of my Fairer Funding for Northumberland Schools Campaign

Tynedale and Ponteland’s Middle Schools are in line for a budget increase of over 10% in April 2015 thanks to our campaign for extra funding.

My campaign to change the rules on schools funding has secured £12m for Northumberland’s schools, and Middle Schools do particularly well out of the new settlement.

For many decades our county has had one of the worst funded education authorities.

However, this coming year, Middle Schools in our area will all receive cash boosts of up to £218,750, which will make a huge difference:

Corbridge Middle School - An extra £122,688
Ponteland Middle School - An extra £234,932
Highfield Middle School - An extra £172,450
Ovingham Middle School - An extra £150,673
Bellingham Middle School - An extra £55,049
Hexham Middle School - An extra £218,750
St Josephs RC Middle School - An extra £144,987 
Richard Coates Middle School - An extra £192,762
Haltwhistle Upper School - An extra £60,984

At the height of the campaign I was able to bring Schools Minister, David Laws, MP, to Tynedale to hear his case for fairer schools funding. He saw the case we were making both here in Northumberland and in the House of Commons.

It is great that we have been able to secure a £12m victory for our campaign and deliver this big boost for our Middle Schools. I pledge to continue my fight for long term fairer funding for our local schools.