THE majority of secondary schools in Bolton will lose money under funding changes being proposed by the Government.

Tables published by the Government as part of the national funding formula consultation indicate that the borough’s high schools will be worse off.

Only Harper Green School in Farnworth, Smithills School and Mount St Joseph in Farnworth will see their funding increased.

The proposed new national funding formula announced by Education Secretary Justine Greening in December increases money targeted at schools with additional needs – including deprivation.

The majority of primary schools will see their funding increased but 25 of those will lose funding, according to the tables. The majority of those are in affluent areas, such as Bromley Cross.

Cllr Kevin McKeon, a senior councillor and also Bolton Council’s former cabinet member for schools said: “The Government is proposing to change the way schools are funded.

“As a school governor I am concerned at the effect this change will have on Bolton’s schools. The illustrative tables the department for education have published to show the effect of changes to individual schools shows a decline in funding for all but three of our secondary schools.”

Cllr McKeon, who is also a qualified teacher, added: “Some primary schools will benefit but not sufficiently to cope with the financial pressures of inflation, increased pension and National Insurance contributions and the one per cent pay increase for staff.

“The National Audit Office says that schools in England face an eight per cent cut, that’s £3 billion, between now and 2020.

“Governors and headteachers are going to have to make some very difficult decisions over the next two years to balance the books.

“The Government needs to think seriously about the effect of its policies on the education of our young people.”

The Government has published illustrative funding allocations for schools and local authorities and are based on 2016-17 data rather than actual allocations for any specific year.

The figures show that the majority of secondary schools will see a 2.9 per cent cut in funding if the new formula was to be implemented in full now.

Turton, one of Bolton’s most popular schools, would see its funding go down from £6,075,000 to £5,901,000, a fall of 2.9 per cent. Harper Green would see its funding increase from £7,048,000 to £7,164,000 an increase of 1.7 per cent. Smithills School would see its funding increase by 2.9 per cent — £5,537000 to £5698,000 — and Mount St Joseph by 0.3 per cent, from £4,851,000 to £4,865,000.

The biggest fall in funding would be experienced by Canon Slade, from £6,652,000 to £6,456,000, a decrease of three per cent.

St Peter’s CE Primary School in Farnworth would have its funding increased by 13.4 per cent, according to the tables, taking funding from £1,241,000 to £1,407,000.

The department for education said that as the result of the proposed national funding formula due to be introduced from 2018 to 2019, more than 10,000 schools will gain funding and added that no school will face a reduction of more than more than 1.5 per cent per pupil per year or three per centre pupil overall.

Consultation on the Government’s funding formula will run for 14 weeks until March 22, with final decisions to be made before the summer.

A Bolton Council spokesman said: “As part of the department for education consultation process we are analysing the proposals and consulting with schools. We will then be able to submit a response to the department for education.”