HEADTEACHERS of two schools may have to take drastic measures that could significantly impact the well-being and education of their pupils unless additional funding can be made available to them.

The bleak picture was painted by Dr James Davies, MP for Vale of Clwyd, following a meeting with Claire Armitstead, headteacher of Rhyl High School, and Neil Foley, at the helm of Prestatyn High School.

The leaders aired concern to the politician about the pressures they are facing amid budget cuts; Cash-strapped Denbighshire Council agreed this year to cut school budgets across the board by three per cent while raising council tax by 9.34 per cent.

Despite being a devolved issue, Dr Davies has penned a letter to the outgoing First Minister, Mark Drakeford,Welsh Education Minister, Jeremy Miles, and incoming First Minister Vaughan Gething urging them to “closely examine the support available to schools in North Wales.”

Dr Davies said in his letter: “I was pleased to meet the headteachers of both Rhyl and Prestatyn High Schools, to discuss the challenges they are facing in detail.

“I was given a disturbing account of the reality of the financial situation they are facing, particularly in the context of ongoing post-pandemic impacts on families and children. Unless additional funding can be made available to them they face: redundancies among teaching and other staff; the winding down of exclusion avoidance efforts; reduced assistance to tackle widespread and sometimes significant behavioural and mental health issues (while facing inadequate CAMHS support); the stretched management of rising safeguarding concerns; a lack of capacity to assist parents and families; and reduced opportunities to support the most vulnerable educationally.

“A reduction to all of these non-statutory services will have a negative impact on the statutory education of all children.”

Last month, parents and guardians, with children at schools across the county, were sent a letter by ‘headteachers of Denbighshire’ which stated “every single child” will be affected by financial pressures.

Paul Penlington, Plaid Cymru’s Parliamentary Candidate for Clwyd East, received the letter from Ysgol Glan Clwyd, St Asaph.

He said: “It is truly sickening that our children will suffer as a result of government cuts, it is disgraceful that Denbighshire have prioritised school cuts whilst continuing to waste millions on unwanted vanity projects like the already failed Queen’s Market in Rhyl over children’s futures.

“As a parent and teacher, I know how far above and beyond schools go to support children and strive to give them the best chance to succeed.

“Our schools and children’s support services have been on the frontline for cuts many times, this is the straw that will break the camel’s back Teachers care about our children and personally invest in them as much as parents do almost, it’s quite clear our elected representatives do not - they know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.”

Another parent, who received the letter from Ysgol Dinas Bran in Llangollen, shared their worries.

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They said: "I am not surprised by the letter from school but I am shocked as to quite how severe the situation is.

"I think the biggest issue will be for any child who has additional learning needs or who needs additional support.

"Even before these cuts attempting to get help for a child with any kind of difference was a nightmare and like having a second job."

Dr Davies said he “struggles to understand why schools are facing such unfair pressure in North Wales” when when Wales receives £1.20 for every £1 spent on public services in Wales. 

His letter added: “While Denbighshire County Council have increased some elements of schools’ budgets by five per cent to account for inflation, they have at the same time applied an across the board per cent reduction. This is placing schools in an impossible and desperate situation.

 “The UK Government is increasing schools’ budgets by £3.5 billion next year in England, and funding will be at the highest ever level in real terms per pupil by the next academic year, as measured by the Institute for Fiscal Studies. School funding is set to rise faster than forecast inflation in both 2023/24 and 2024/25.

“In terms of devolved matters, for every £1 spent on public services in England, the Welsh Government receives £1.20.

“Based on the funding provided from UK Government, I struggle to understand why schools are facing such unfair pressure in North Wales. Clearly, Denbighshire County Council does carry some of the accountability in this respect and I will be writing to them separately.”