WHO ARE WE?

We are a group of concerned parents and carers of students at Crickhowell High School. In November 2018 we launched the Level the Playing Field campaign for fair funding for the school.

Now Level the Playing Field are raising funds to investigate Powys County Council's school funding policies and to launch a judicial review. WE NEED YOUR HELP.

BACKGROUND

Crickhowell High School is ranked as the sixth best state secondary school in Wales and 245th across the UK—a remarkable achievement and testament to the fabulous teaching and running of the school. 

But Crickhowell High School also has the lowest per pupil funding in the whole of Wales—almost £300 per pupil less than any other secondary school in Powys or in Wales. 

The Powys school funding formula that has been in use for many years was non-compliant with Welsh Statutory Regulations, a fact that has been acknowledged by the recently departed Director of Education, Ian Budd, who stated that this was the case during a public council meeting in December 2018. 

We also know that the Powys school funding formula has resulted in increasing the school’s deficit by at least £340000. The Director of Education, Ian Budd, explicitly said so in a letter to the headteacher in April 2018. 

The Level the Playing Field campaign was set up to raise these issues with Powys County Council and the Welsh Government.

On the 15th January 2018, the Powys Council Council Cabinet passed a new funding formula and agreed to a two-year transition, implementing the new formula in full in 2021.  

Level the Playing Field are concerned that     

• the new funding formula may not be compliant with the Welsh Government Statutory Regulations

      

• the two year transition period is not legal     

      

• it is not fair to force the school to repay a deficit that was created by a non-compliant funding formula

PLEASE HELP US

We have one month to raise the funds necessary for our solicitors to instruct Nick Bowen, QC, of Doughty Street Chambers. 

Please donate to our campaign!

Please share our campaign with your friends, family and social media network!