Lib Dem candidate for Lewisham West & Penge Alex Feakes has accused the Prime Minister of hypocrisy on education as new figures reveal how virtually half of the schools in Lewisham constituencies are facing real terms cuts or standstill funding in the coming year.
The funding for each school is revealed in figures from the House of Commons Library on the so-called “notional and provisional” funding for each school. They show that 33 of the schools in the three Lewisham constituencies are facing cuts with another eight seeing no change at all in real terms funding in the coming year compared to 2019/20.
This comes despite Boris Johnson’s claim to provide “additional funding now and for the future for every school” when he became Prime Minister in the summer.
The figures show that primary schools in the Lewisham East constituency face an average cut of 0.1% and secondary schools a cut of 1.2%. Primary schools in Lewisham Deptford face an average cut of 0.2% and secondary schools of 0.6%. All schools in Lewisham West and Penge, which crosses over into Bromley Borough, see on average a small increase of 0.5%.
Schools are already under severe pressure as the Conservative government has cut funding.
Nationally, the Lib Dems have committed to increasing funding by £10 billion a year, with their education funding policy being one of the five priorities outlined by Lib Dem Leader Jo Swinson this week.
Lib Dem candidate for Lewisham West Penge Alex Feakes said: “As a teacher, I see first-hand how Tory cuts to education are affecting schools across Lewisham and beyond. It’s the most shortsighted policy to short change our schools instead of investing in education.
“Our country needs teachers and needs schools as the engine for our future development as a country. Every school needs real terms funding increases so we can give all our kids the best chance in life.
“If elected as MP, I will make sure we support our schools. The Lib Dem policy for £10bn a year more for schools and to recruit 20,000 more teachers will build a better future for Britain.”
Lewisham Lib Dems analysis from the House of Commons figures for each school is set out in the table below.
School |
Phase |
2019-20 |
2020-21 |
% change |
|
Adamsrill Primary School |
Primary |
5,350 |
5,202 |
-2.8% |
|
Addey and Stanhope School |
Secondary |
7,084 |
7,090 |
+0.1% |
|
Alexandra Infant School |
Primary |
4,691 |
4,689 |
-0.0% |
|
Alexandra Junior School |
Primary |
4,256 |
4,271 |
+0.4% |
|
All Saints' Church of England Primary School |
Primary |
4,731 |
4,722 |
-0.2% |
|
Ashmead Primary School |
Primary |
5,014 |
5,078 |
+1.3% |
|
Athelney Primary School |
Primary |
5,327 |
5,419 |
+1.7% |
|
Balgowan Primary School |
Primary |
3,589 |
3,682 |
+2.6% |
|
Baring Primary School |
Primary |
5,483 |
4,994 |
-8.9% |
|
Beecroft Garden Primary |
Primary |
5,846 |
5,669 |
-3.0% |
|
Bonus Pastor Catholic College |
Secondary |
7,062 |
7,015 |
-0.7% |
|
Brindishe Green School |
Primary |
5,164 |
5,184 |
+0.4% |
|
Brindishe Lee School |
Primary |
4,841 |
4,945 |
+2.2% |
|
Brindishe Manor School |
Primary |
4,838 |
4,838 |
+0.0% |
|
Childeric Primary School |
Primary |
5,593 |
5,403 |
-3.4% |
|
Churchfields Primary School |
Primary |
4,267 |
4,270 |
+0.1% |
|
Conisborough Colleg |
Secondary |
7,448 |
7,338 |
-1.5% |
|
Cooper's Lane Primary School |
Primary |
4,874 |
4,865 |
-0.2% |
|
Dalmain Primary School |
Primary |
5,248 |
4,913 |
-6.4% |
|
Deptford Green School |
Secondary |
7,903 |
7,789 |
-1.4% |
|
Deptford Park Primary School |
Primary |
5,404 |
5,422 |
+0.3% |
|
Downderry Primary School |
Primary |
5,102 |
5,121 |
+0.4% |
|
Edmund Waller Primary School |
Primary |
4,970 |
5,025 |
+1.1% |
|
Elfrida Primary School |
Primary |
5,247 |
5,317 |
+1.3% |
|
Eliot Bank Primary School |
Primary |
4,717 |
4,760 |
+0.9% |
|
Fairlawn Primary School |
Primary |
4,580 |
4,572 |
-0.2% |
|
Forest Hill School |
Secondary |
7,009 |
6,984 |
-0.4% |
|
Forster Park Primary School |
Primary |
5,449 |
5,473 |
+0.5% |
|
Good Shepherd RC School |
Primary |
5,200 |
5,258 |
+1.1% |
|
Gordonbrock Primary School |
Primary |
4,801 |
4,796 |
-0.1% |
|
Grinling Gibbons Primary School |
Primary |
5,494 |
5,624 |
+2.4% |
|
Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College |
All-through |
5,837 |
5,833 |
-0.1% |
|
Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham Temple Grove Free School |
Primary |
4,685 |
4,626 |
-1.3% |
|
Haberdashers' Aske's Knights Academy |
All-through |
6,219 |
6,273 |
+0.9% |
|
Harris Girls Academy Bromley |
Secondary |
5,755 |
5,858 |
+1.8% |
|
Harris Primary Academy Crystal Palace |
Primary |
4,793 |
4,787 |
-0.1% |
|
Harris Primary Academy Kent House |
Primary |
4,974 |
4,985 |
+0.2% |
|
Haseltine Primary School |
Primary |
5,333 |
5,422 |
+1.7% |
|
Holbeach Primary School |
Primary |
5,294 |
5,303 |
+0.2% |
|
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School |
Primary |
5,226 |
5,211 |
-0.3% |
|
Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School |
Primary |
5,595 |
5,625 |
+0.5% |
|
Horniman Primary School |
Primary |
4,806 |
4,931 |
+2.6% |
|
James Dixon Primary School |
Primary |
4,887 |
4,889 |
+0.0% |
|
John Ball Primary School |
Primary |
4,614 |
4,653 |
+0.8% |
|
John Stainer Community Primary School |
Primary |
5,115 |
4,977 |
-2.7% |
|
Kelvin Grove Primary School |
Primary |
5,150 |
5,148 |
-0.0% |
|
Kender Primary School |
Primary |
5,350 |
5,394 |
+0.8% |
|
Kilmorie Primary School |
Primary |
4,756 |
4,803 |
+1.0% |
|
Launcelot Primary School |
Primary |
5,158 |
5,290 |
+2.6% |
|
Lucas Vale Primary School |
Primary |
5,204 |
5,294 |
+1.7% |
|
Marvels Lane Primary School |
Primary |
5,448 |
5,551 |
+1.9% |
|
Myatt Garden Primary School |
Primary |
4,901 |
5,025 |
+2.5% |
|
Our Lady and St Philip Neri Roman Catholic Primary School |
Primary |
5,187 |
4,997 |
-3.7% |
|
Perrymount Primary School |
Primary |
5,759 |
5,835 |
+1.3% |
|
Prendergast - Ladywell Fields College |
All-through |
7,174 |
7,141 |
-0.5% |
|
Prendergast School |
Secondary |
6,355 |
6,358 |
+0.0% |
|
Prendergast Vale School |
All-through |
6,590 |
6,695 |
+1.6% |
|
Rangefield Primary School |
Primary |
5,215 |
5,288 |
+1.4% |
|
Rathfern Primary School |
Primary |
5,098 |
5,188 |
+1.8% |
|
Rushey Green Primary School |
Primary |
5,234 |
5,158 |
-1.5% |
|
Sandhurst Primary School |
Primary |
5,063 |
4,932 |
-2.6% |
|
Sedgehill School |
Secondary |
7,952 |
8,294 |
+4.3% |
|
Sir Francis Drake Primary School |
Primary |
5,613 |
5,901 |
+5.1% |
|
St Anthony's Roman Catholic Primary School |
Primary |
5,257 |
5,260 |
+0.1% |
|
St Augustine's Catholic Primary School and Nursery |
Primary |
5,175 |
5,166 |
-0.2% |
|
St Bartholomews's Church of England Primary School |
Primary |
4,816 |
4,803 |
-0.3% |
|
St George's CofE Primary School |
Primary |
5,676 |
5,651 |
-0.4% |
|
St James's Hatcham Church of England Primary School |
Primary |
5,625 |
5,549 |
-1.3% |
|
St John Baptist Southend Church of England Primary School |
Primary |
5,103 |
5,091 |
-0.2% |
|
St John's Church of England Primary School
|
Primary |
4,565 |
4,952 |
+8.5% |
|
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School |
Primary |
5,215 |
5,250 |
+0.7% |
|
St Margaret's Lee CofE Primary School |
Primary |
5,064 |
5,056 |
-0.2% |
|
St Mary Magdalen's Catholic Primary School |
Primary |
5,424 |
5,375 |
-0.9% |
|
St Mary's Lewisham Church of England Primary School |
Primary |
5,885 |
5,891 |
+0.1% |
|
St Matthew Academy |
All-through |
6,267 |
6,268 |
+0.0% |
|
St Michael's Church of England Primary School
|
Primary |
5,304 |
5,348 |
+0.8% |
|
St Saviour's Catholic Primary School |
Primary |
5,328 |
5,343 |
+0.3% |
|
St Stephen's Church of England Primary School |
Primary |
5,165 |
5,173 |
+0.2% |
|
St William of York Catholic Primary School |
Primary |
5,032 |
5,093 |
+1.2% |
|
St Winifred's RC Primary School |
Primary |
4,808 |
4,785 |
-0.5% |
|
Stewart Fleming Primary School |
Primary |
4,134 |
4,128 |
-0.1% |
|
Stillness Infant School |
Primary |
4,957 |
4,969 |
+0.2% |
|
Stillness Junior School |
Primary |
4,810 |
4,846 |
+0.8% |
|
Sydenham School |
Secondary |
6,527 |
6,525 |
-0.0% |
|
Tidemill Academy |
Primary |
5,879 |
5,870 |
-0.2% |
|
Torridon Primary School |
Primary |
5,044 |
5,045 |
+0.0% |
|
Trinity School |
All-through |
6,870 |
6,851 |
-0.3% |
|
Turnham Academy |
Primary |
5,532 |
5,560 |
+0.5% |
|
NOTES
- The Liberal Democract policy for more funding for schools and teacher is set out at: https://www.libdems.org.uk/plan
- The House of Commons Library analysis is available at: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/social-policy/education/provisional-school-funding-2020-21-constituency-and-school-level-data. The National Funding Formula (NFF) figures calculate notional funding allocations for schools based on pupil numbers, and various pupil and school characteristics. These allocations are provisional because they will be updated to take into account more recent pupil number data. They are notional because the NFF is currently in a transition phase (known as the ‘soft’ format). This means the local authority retains some flexibility in deciding the final allocations that schools actually receive.