Welshpool school demands answers over funding
Thursday 29th July 2010, 10:18AM BST.
Welshpool High School is the most underfunded in the county of Powys, despite being one of the biggest, angry town councillors have claimed today.
They have demanded answers from the county council on why their school is given less than any of the county’s other 12 secondary schools.
But Powys County Council said today funding had always been worked out fairly.
At a meeting of Welshpool Town Council last night Graham Lewis, chairman of governors at Welshpool High School, said it was getting less money per pupil than any other in Powys.
He said: “The school is the most underfunded secondary school in Powys per pupil.”
Councillor Ann Holloway said the situation was “unacceptable”.
“We need some answers into why Welshpool High School is having less spent on it,” she said.
“It’s one of the best schools in the county and I’m sure one of the biggest so surely it should be getting at least the same amount.”
Councillor Shane Squibb said: “I was told some time ago that the school was the most underfunded per pupil in Powys but I couldn’t believe it.”
It’s one of the largest schools in the county and we need to know why Powys County Council are giving it less money per pupil, surely it shouldn’t be allowed to happen.”
John Evans, county council communications manager said: “All schools in Powys receive funding under the ‘Fairer Funding Formula’ which allocates resources on a consistent basis using criteria such as pupil numbers, floor space, special education needs, Welsh provision and level of activities.
“The formula has been in operation for a number of years and is regularly reviewed.”
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Quick and dirty maths, but here goes. I’m pretty sure they’re not considering the fixed costs.
Fixed cost of running a school = x, irrespective of its size (okay, it may vary slightly but not significantly)
Variable cost of running a school = n*y
where n = number of pupils and y = cost per pupil
Total cost = x+n*y
If you then divide the above by n, the larger school will appear to have less funding than the smaller one.
Try it with some numbers.
Let’s say x = 500,000 and y = 2,000
School A has 300 pupils. It receives £500,000 + 300*£2,000. Total = £1,100,000, or £3,666 per pupil.
School B has 600 pupils. It receives £500,000 + 600*£2,000. Total = £1,100,000, or £2,833 per pupil.
Even if School A’s fixed costs are only £300,000, it still *appears* to receive more funding than School B (£3,000 per pupil).
It’s all pretty straightforward, really.
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