H&F parents, teachers and Labour councillors come together to fight government cuts to local schools

Public meeting on 28 February

Burlington Danes Academy in Shepherds Bush

Hammersmith and Fulham’s Labour-run council has called an urgent public meeting with parents, teachers and other residents to fight government proposals to slash funding to H&F schools.

At the meeting on Tuesday 28 February at 7pm in Hammersmith Town Hall, head teachers and councillors will set out the damage the cuts will do, and discuss with parents and other residents how to campaign against the cuts.

The Conservative government has proposed cuts to H&F schools of £2.8 million (three per cent) at a time when outside pressures from government are seeing costs to schools rise by 10%.

H&F Conservatives reject cross-party campaign against school cuts       

 “We hoped this would be a cross-party campaign,” said Labour councillor Sue Fennimore, “But sadly H&F Conservatives are putting their national party above local schools.”

At a council debate on the government’s plans last year, Labour councillors voted to fight the cuts but H&F Conservatives refused to back schools and parents in the campaign.

Fennimore said, “This is disappointing, but it’s great parents and teachers are coming together in huge numbers to stand up for our local schools.

“Labour councillors have worked hard to protect school budgets and back our teachers, and our schools are getting better each year.

“These government cuts would undo the good work, so we hope more and more residents will join the campaign to protect our schools.”

Support from H&F’s head teachers

The local campaign has the backing of H&F’s Schools’ Forum, which represents all the borough’s schools.

Its chair, head teacher Peter Haylock, warns, “If schools’ budgets are cut – at a time when costs are increasingly significantly – it can only have a negative effect on the education that we are able to deliver.

“We will not be able to employ the number of high quality teachers and leaders that we need to be able to maintain standards.”

Learn more about the campaign against school funding cuts here.