Praise for schools' sacrifice

A deal has been made with head teachers' representatives allowing an extra £3 million to be split between the 20-plus high schools in the district.

Provision will also be made for special schools, but primary schools will forgo a bonus.

The agreement came after figures showed the funding gap is widest in high schools.

Councillor David Ward, executive member for education, said he was delighted with the deal "which would never have happened five years ago."

He said it was a sign people in the Bradford education world were at last beginning to work together.

The money forms part of an £11 million package announced three years ago by politicians after it was exposed that Bradford spent less on schools than other authorities.

The money has now been diverted three years running to school budgets from other areas of the Council.

Councillor Ward said: "This is another example of how things are improving. You'd never have got primary schools agreeing to something like this a few years ago."

The funding deal was agreed by the Finance Strategy Group which brings together head teacher representatives from each sector.

After two years of extra funding the cash given to primary schools in Bradford now matches national averages.

But in secondary schools there is still a yawning gap, Coun Ward said.

Liz Metcalf, head teacher at Undercliffe Primary, which has had a financial deficit for seven years, said: "Everybody wants more money in their school budget but this is the correct decision, in my opinion."

At one stage Undercliffe was 'overdrawn' by £74,000 but this year, helped by the money, the school will no longer be in the red, she said.

Bruce Berry, head teacher at Belle Vue Boys' School, said the amount received by each secondary school will be related to pupil numbers.

But even at a small school like his own, with around 500 pupils, the extra sum would be enough to recruit three new members of staff

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