SCHOOLS have been forced to turn to parents and fundraising drives to help them pay for art equipment, resources for reception classes, swimming lessons and other ‘vital’ supplies as they face funding cuts.

Smiling pupils at St Matthew’s Primary School in Stretton took part in a sponsored fun run as part of their constant effort to raise enough money to make sure children get a ‘broad and balanced’ education.

Head teacher Hazel Fryman said parents work tirelessly to help provide music lessons, supplies for food technology lessons and school trips that risk being cut as the school can no longer afford to pay for them.

Ms Fryman said: “These activities are not ‘extras’ but are vital components of every child’s entitlement to the National Curriculum.

“We know our children in Stretton are very lucky, but it is only through the good will and generosity of the parents and our amazing PTA that we can sustain the important broad and balanced curriculum that was praised by Ofsted in our outstanding report. We are trying our best to manage on an ever shrinking budget.”

Warrington will remain among the ten lowest funded areas in the country for education under the Government’s new funding formula, which will see schools in the town receive £4,306 per child in comparison to schools in better funded areas, which could get more than £6,775 per pupil.

In a letter to the Warrington Guardian, schools minister Nick Gibb MP said Warrington schools could get a 0.6 per cent boost from the formula.

But head teachers say they face increasing costs which wipe out any extra money they might get from the policy.

St Matthew's will also be holding a car boot sale on March 18 from 7.30am to raise funds and to book a pitch email stmatthews_primary@warrington.gov.uk or phone 730371.