A WHARFEDALE MP’s survey of local primary schools has found some to be ‘at breaking point’.

Alex Sobel (Lab, Leeds North West) published the results of his survey this week - and says the results paint a worrying picture of the effects of funding pressures.

Seven schools covering communities across the constituency, including Otley, Yeadon, Cookridge, Pool-in-Wharfedale, Weetwood and Headingley, responded. Of those, all said they had needed to make some form of cuts since 2015, with four being forced to make staffing cuts.

Other results for the same period showed that:

*100 per cent of the participating schools were either dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their funding

*Six have had to reduce the number of books and amount of educational equipment available for students

*Teaching assistant numbers have fallen in four of the schools, the same number that have had to cut back on cleaning and maintenance

*Three have had to reduce extra-curricular activity, school trips and teacher training.

One respondent said: “We cannot continue to hit the Department for Education’s expectations for pupil achievement, and take more pupils, with less staff and resources. We are at breaking point in this profession.

“As the city council continues to make cuts in other areas, more is put onto schools. We cannot provide the support that is needed for families without the funding to do so.”

Another said: “As a school with very few pupils eligible for Pupil Premium Funding, we struggle to make ends meet and to enrich the curriculum of all our students.

“I know that other schools in Leeds have so much money that they don’t know what to do with it all. How are we providing a fair, equal education for all pupils in all schools?”

Mr Sobel said: “I am grateful to the schools for taking part but am appalled by the results. Every school is experiencing cutbacks and this has a direct impact on children’s education and wellbeing.

“These funding pressures are in the face of higher pupil numbers and, as council budgets have also been slashed every year since 2010, schools have had to pick up the slack. It is time this Government listened to these professionals and heard first-hand about the problems their disastrous education policies are causing.”