Stephen Morgan MP has called for Portsmouth’s parents, governors, teachers and school staff to join him in telling the Education Secretary Damian Hinds the impact Government cuts are having on schools in the city.
As part of Stephen’s Portsmouth Against School Cuts campaign, and ahead of the Budget next week, the city MP is providing a template letter to concerned constituents enabling them to lobby the Secretary of State directly.
Portsmouth schools are due to lose £3.7m over the next few years, with per pupil funding cut by 8% since 2010. Stephen Morgan has been campaigning for the Tories to restore proper funding to the city and has issued a call to action to parents and teachers as the Autumn budget approaches.
Stephen Morgan MP, said:
“With the budget just a week away, it’s more important than ever that the Government hears directly from parents and teachers about the impact their cuts are having.
In Portsmouth, we’ve seen class sizes rise and budgets slashed. In some cases, parents are being asked to pay for basic supplies like glue sticks. It’s unacceptable, and I’m keeping up the fight for fairer funding.
I know how passionate parents in our city are about their children’s futures – it’s time for the Tories to hear from them what’s happening on the ground and in our classrooms.”
Constituents are also encouraged to sign up to Stephen’s campaign and show their support by displaying ‘a Portsmouth Against School Cuts’ poster in their window.
To receive a copy of the poster residents can email, pop into Stephen’s office at 72 Albert Road, Southsea PO5 2SL to collect one or download a school cuts file here.
A copy of the letter can be here: Letter template
TO TELL THE EDUCATION SECRETARY THAT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH ON SCHOOL CUTS, COMPLETE AND SEND THE SUGGESTED LETTER BELOW
Secretary of State for Education
Department for Education
20 Great Smith Street
Westminster, London
SW1P 3BT
Damian.hinds.mp@parliament.uk
Dear Secretary of State for Education,
Reverse Portsmouth school cuts now
I am writing about next week’s budget and am backing my local MP Stephen Morgan’s efforts to deliver more funding for Portsmouth schools and colleges.
Since 2010, there has been an 8 per cent cut in real terms in per pupil funding. This has had an enormous impact on education, leaving our schools in crisis.
In this budget, I am asking you to support my MP’s Portsmouth Against School Cuts campaign and take the necessary steps to urgently address the funding crisis.
Under your Government, Portsmouth is set to lose £3.7m in the coming years affecting 50 schools in our city.
Your budget next week must ensure that every school is guaranteed at least the same money per pupil, in real terms, as they did in 2015. Funding must also be increased for high needs and early years pupils. This must be genuine new money for schools, not funds taken from other areas of education spending.
Last week was ‘Love our Colleges’ week. In addition to funding for schools, Portsmouth’s fantastic further education colleges, who have suffered even bigger cuts since 2010, need proper investment.
Please invest in Portsmouth’s future by backing our teachers and their pupils with the resources they need.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Name of constituent and address
