An online survey allowing people to comment on the future of school funding has been branded “ridiculously technical”.
The consultation into the government’s new National Funding Formula ends on March 22, and members of the public have until then to complete the 12-page questionnaire.
The use of terms such as ‘sparsity funding’, ‘weightings for additional needs factors’, ‘funding floor’, ‘central school services block funding’ and ‘equalities analysis’ in the questionnaire has left some people baffled.
Parent Sarah Tosey described the survey as “incredibly complex to complete”, adding: “As a parent of a child in a West Sussex secondary school, I would have no idea how to answer the questions.”
Her views were shared by John Gadd, head of Thomas a Becket Juniors, who said: “Generally the consultation document can best be summed up by one of my colleagues’ comments – ridiculously technical.”
He added: “There are a number of parents’ forums emerging both locally and nationally – I guess parents will voice their thoughts and opinions through these rather than trying to complete such a complex consultation document.”
Caitriona Bull, head of West Park School, said she was “not surprised” parents were struggling with the questionnaire.
She added: “I am thinking of completing my questionnaire and then sending my responses to our parents so they have them as guidance. I am not sure how ethical this is but it would be for guidance only rather than they must copy mine.”
In the County Times’ sister paper the Worthing Herald, Tim Loughton, MP for East Worthing & Shoreham shared his support for the ongoing Worth Less? campaign for fairer funding, and said it “really is essential that as many parents make their views known”.
His call to action was praised by Ms Tosey, but she added: “If Tim Loughton is really keen for parents to show their views, I suggest that he either provides clear guidance on how to complete the complicated questionnaire, or suggests another way for us parents to tell the government how unfair the funding gap is and what is needed in the new funding formula.”
The Worth Less? campaign has seen headteachers fighting for fairer funding for almost two years.
A spokesman described the survey as “extremely technical and not at all user friendly for parents”.
He added: “Worth Less? will be providing parents with support soon. We are pleased that local MPs want parents/carers to contribute but feel they need to state how bad things are – both now and in under future proposals – much more explicitly. “This will encourage much greater engagement.
Article originally published by West Sussex County Times
