School budgets for furniture, buildings maintenance and hiring experienced teachers have been slashed to the bare minimum as Southend schools grapple with a serious cash crisis.
Temple Sutton Primary School is the worst affected in the borough with at least 20 redundancies among support staff.
Bob Knight, headteacher of Darlinghurst Primary, Pavilion Drive, Leigh, has had to replace three experienced teachers, who left through natural wastage, with four newly qualified teachers.
He said: "We didn't have enough money to replace experienced staff with experienced staff.
We have used virtually all of our reserves. We are also having to compromise on our new extension to the school.
"The project isn't being put on hold but it won't have as many features as planned. The situation is we have managed this year but if the situation is replicated next year we will have to cut back on a whole range of things including staff because the money just won't be available.
"I have written to Charles Clarke but have I had a response? No. The Government cannot allow this situation to go on."
Chris Holliday, headteacher of Bournes Green Juniors, in Thorpe Bay, said: "We have had to dip very heavily into the carry-forward budget - up to £40,000 - to be able to run the school. Come next year we are going to be in a similar situation to Temple Sutton but we do hope we will get more funding."
Published Friday, June 20, 2003
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