THE headteacher of two Hexham schools shared concerns of rising costs, as the Government announced energy bill support will be scaled back for businesses and other organisations from March.  

Graeme Atkins, executive headteacher at Hadrian Learning Trust which includes Hexham Middle and Queen Elizabeth High School, commented: "After a few relatively positive recent years regarding school funding, we are now very much in a period where managing budgets is increasingly challenging.

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"Reserves and some recently-announced additional funding help in the short-to-medium term, although we are concerned at this week’s announcement around support with energy costs beyond March."

Dr Suzanne Fairless-Aitken, town and county councillor for Hexham East, is on Northumberland County Council's Family and Children's Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

She said: "Education is the reason I got into politics, and it angers me to see our schools struggling so much in the face of rising staffing and energy costs. We're struggling to retain teachers in the post-covid economic climate which really concerns me.

"Last week, I was in the educational committee (FACS) at Northumberland County Hall and was horrified to see budgets ported across from mainstream school budgets across to 'higher need' school pots rather than actually increased.

"The economic demands of SEND pupils are rising and this is how they are met. There was even a claim there was now a £9 million increase in the Northumberland County Council schools' budget from the previous year – when this is actually only half the cost of an inflationary rise.

"True levelling up begins with education so let the government put money where this need actually is. The answer to how to help our schools survive would be to vote differently at the ballot box," she commented.

Mr Atkins added: "Beyond this, as the need to spend more to support students following the pandemic continues, and taking into account future inflationary pressures, additional funding, and in particular funding to support those with high needs, will need to be forthcoming to avoid schools having to make significant cuts to balance the books."

Guy Opperman, Hexham MP, said: "Schools across Tynedale and Ponteland are facing rising energy bills during the winter months, after Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine has driven up energy prices worldwide.

"That is why I welcome the Government providing a share of £500 million for energy efficiency upgrades for local schools helping them to save on their bills by installing better heating controls, insulation to reduce heat loss from pipes, or switching to energy efficient lighting. On average, a primary school will receive approximately £16,000 and a secondary school will receive around £42,000.

"After a long campaign, every high school in the Hexham Constituency has been rebuilt or refurbished since 2010 and we now have fairer funding for our rural schools."