School sends out urgent funding plea

Sep 26 2008 by Barry Ellams, Chester Chronicle

AN UNDER-FUNDED rural school has sent an SOS to the new unitary authority by presenting a petition calling for urgent funding.

Farndon Primary Parent Teachers Association are campaigning for urgent investment into the school and are turning the spotlight on:

“Wholly inadequate mobile classrooms”

“The grossly inadequate toilet facilities”

“The urgent need for improvements to the playground area”

The PTA who petitioned the school’s catchment area in Crewe By Farndon, Churton and Farndon raised 1,044 signatures in support of the school attended by 190 pupils.

A costed £1.25m extension to the school is needed to overhaul the basic infrastructure of the school but Farndon PTA feel their appeals have fallen on deaf ears because they live in an affluent part of Cheshire.

They are also angry that their time in supplying non essential funding for the school has become a gigantic fundraising effort to raise money for projects requiring government investment.

The school has been visited by Lord Wade of Chorlton, Eddisbury MP Stephen O’Brien, and Cllr Mike Jones, leader of incoming Cheshire West and Chester Council who back Farndon PTA’s cause.

Parents presented their petition to unitary authority members Cllr Jones, Cllr Neil Ritchie and Cllr Arthur Harada on the steps of County Hall on Tuesday.

Anne Marie Evans, chairwoman of Farndon PTA, explains in the petition: “The Government has recently initiated its Every Child Matters: Primary Capital Programme aimed at improving primary school infrastructure. They have allocated funding to county councils aimed at creating primary schools fit for the 21st Century.

“Cheshire County Council is undergoing a split into two unitary authorities and it is vital at this time of change that we make the needs of our school clear so that, in the transference of roles and responsibilities and funding the urgent needs of our schools are not overlooked.”

Jane Bulkeley chair of governors added: “The PTA should be funding the extra’s not having to raise money for basics, We are in the same position after fighting for 10 years to get proper classrooms for our children.

“I am sure other PTAs in rural schools in Cheshire are facing a similar position, we don’t think it is unique.”

Cheshire County Council spokesman Ian Callister said: “Whilst numbered among England’s top educationauthorities, Cheshire has been one of the worst centrally funded for some years and spends 12m annually topping up its government grant.

“We appreciate Farndon School is waiting to replace its mobiles with permanent classrooms. We have 172 demountables throughout the county that far exceed available capital budget. Consequently a priority system based on condition has been introduced and Farndon’s mobile classrooms rank 89th, 133rd and 160th on this list.

“However there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon in the shape of a Government initiative to introduce a new capital funding stream for primary schools from 2009/2010.

“The 15-year capped up primary capital programme will be aimed at replacing buildings and we would hope that schools like Farndon will benefit from these funds.”