£4.5m hoarded by schools

SCHOOLS in Oldham have been criticised for hoarding almost £4.5 million that ministers say should have been spent on children’s education.

Official figures released yesterday show three secondary schools and 35 primary schools across the borough failed to spend about £4.45 million between 2007/08.

The rules allow secondary schools to save five per cent of their annual cash handout from their local education authority.

Primary schools are permitted to save up to 8 per cent.

Schools Minister Jim Knight warned local education authorities to use their powers to claw back excess, uncommitted surpluses and distribute them to other schools in the area willing to spend them — or risk being forced by Government to do so.

Oldham Council’s Cabinet member for children, young people and families, Councillor Kay Knox, said surpluses were not necessarily inappropriate and it was important schools could plan ahead for large projects, ensuring there was enough money to meet the costs. She added: “The fact that many schools plan for building projects over the summer break, when children aren’t on the premises, can mean that balances are higher at the financial year end in March because of planned carry forwards. Of more concern are those schools where unplanned carry forwards occur at the end of the year.

“The School Forum, the body with responsibility for allocating school funding locally, monitors surplus school balances closely.

“It has an agreed policy that enables it to remove surplus funds if they are over a certain percentage of their total individual school budget and if there are no specific plans for how the money would be used. In primary and special schools this amount is 8 per cent and in secondaries, 5 per cent.

“This year, the School Forum spent some time reviewing this policy and raising its profile among schools. At this time, we are satisfied that our schools have plans in place to use the surplus money appropriately and to cover any necessary costs which may arise over the coming year.”

Liberal Democrat Schools spokesman David Laws said: “The Government should stop trying to interfere with the way in which schools manage their money.

“Some schools have built up funds to pay for large capital schemes, while others are understandably managing their budgets prudently in the expectation of tougher times ahead.”




Primary schools hoarding more than 8% of budget



Bare Trees Infant and Nursery (14.9%) £91,113

Bare Trees Junior (24.4%) £179,277

Burnley Brow Community (9%) £123,184

Chadderton Hall Junior (9.3%) £71,958

Coppice Infant and Nursery (22.7%) £85,830

Coppice Junior (27.4%) £105,107

Diggle (9.1%) £60,553

East Crompton St James CE Primary (9.8%) £65,676

Fir Bank Primary (8.6%) £46,659

Friezland Primary (10.9%) £47,362

Glodwick Infant and Nursery (8.3%) £93,259

Higher Failsworth Primary (11.8%) £137,314

Hodge Clough Infant and Nursery (11.1%) £63,872

Hodge Clough Junior (12%) £72,521

Limehurst Junior Infant and Nursery (16.5%) £168,686

Littlemoor Primary (11.2%) £131,558

Our Lady’s RC Primary (8.8%) £37,966

Richmond Primary (12.7%) £305,174

Rushcroft Primary (11.3%) £86,088

St Aidan and St Oswald’s RC (9%) £105,003

St Anne’s CofE Primary and Nursery (12.5%) £126,252

St Anne’s RC Primary (9.2%) £76,644

St Chad’s CofE Primary (15.5%) £125,422

St Hugh’s CofE Primary (9.1%) £70,189

St John’s CofE Junior (8%) £40,570

St Mary’s RC Primary (8.5%) £62,835

St Stephen and All Martyrs’ CE (8.4%) £63,823

St Thomas CofE Primary (8.6%) £105,462

Stanley Road Primary (8.3%) £123,014

The Parish Church CE VA Junior (8.2%) £68,462

Thornham St James CE Primary (10.7%) £69,823

Thorp Primary (11.4%) £81,013

Werneth Junior (17.6%) £173,655

Westwood Primary (8.9%) £82,458

Whitegate End Primary and Nursery (12.5%) £102,462






Secondary schools hoarding more than 5 per cent



Breeze Hill (6%) £127,502

Grange (9.8%) £485,528

The Blue Coat CE (6.7%) £423,155