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20
Sept
'You have to think outside the box': How a Ripley headteacher is managing tightening school budgets
With increasing electricity bills, teacher pay rises and administrative costs on the up, schools are facing unprecedented financial pressures.
But one local school federation has found a way to manage these issues with some ‘cheeky’ asks and meticulous planning.
Executive headteacher Victoria Kirkman oversees a federation of three schools – Beckwithshaw, Kettlesing and Ripley Church of England Primary Schools.
Her message is clear: you have to be proactive.
She said:
You have to think outside the box, I’m a little cheeky. I find out what parents, carers and community partners do and ask them to get involved, run a club, help out.
We have parent groups who clear the playgrounds, who build us things. It takes time and work, and you can’t be disheartened if someone says no.
The schools have regularly organised events at local spaces, including holding an art exhibition at Ripley Castle, a concert at Harrogate’s Royal Hall and cadet training at the Army Foundation College.
Ms Kirkman has even got the children to write to businesses, asking them for sponsorship for different initiatives, be it mental health or sustainability.
She said:
Funding pressures remain one of the greatest concerns facing schools across England. Rising staffing costs, increasing complexity of need and inflationary pressures have required school leaders to think differently. The federation has responded through meticulous, long-term financial planning rather than short-term cuts.
Every spending decision is carefully considered against a central question: how can resources be used to maximise impact on children's lives? We have been proactive in seeking grants, partnerships and external opportunities that bring additional value to pupils and staff.
The children got a chance to perform on stage at the Royal Hall.
With teachers receiving a 3.5% pay rise again this year, staff costs are a huge spend, often making up about 80% of a school’s budget.
How has the federation been impacted by this?
We haven’t. We’re all about forensic planning, so it doesn’t impact us at all. We forward plan so we’re ready for what’s coming next.
We also work with five local teacher training establishments, meaning we get trainee teachers to work in school which enhances the staffing. Then the best students get recruited, so we have a constant supply.
Ms Kirkman also emphasised the importance she places on CPD for teachers, ensuring they are experts in their fields. She even invites other schools to join in the training sessions, as well as take parts in the events she organises for her pupils.
She said:
We have the best ever PTAs. They are amazing – for the last three years all of them have paid for every child at each school to go to the pantomime in Harrogate - and get an ice cream.
Each school then has its own thing it’s paying for depending on its own context. For Beckwithshaw it’s IT and playground equipment, Ripley it’s plants, water butts and other sustainability projects, in Kettlesing it’s SEND resources.
The headteacher is keen to emphasise that she wants to hear from other schools, and work with them to ensure children across the district get access to all the resources and opportunities as a community.
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