Parents, students and staff at a Highgate school have found a creative way to protest against funding cuts across Haringey.

Ham & High: St Michael's Primary School creating a piece of artwork in protest to funding cuts.St Michael's Primary School creating a piece of artwork in protest to funding cuts. (Image: Archant)

On Friday afternoon St Michael’s Primary School was a hive of activity as families armed with chalk took to the playground to issue their response to government cuts which could see £437 less being spent on each pupil across the borough by 2019.

Cuts to schools in Haringey are predicted to be among the worst in the country, with the National Union of Teachers predicting a shortfall of 15 per cent over the next three years.

In response to the figures, parents at St Michael’s – which is predicted to lose four teachers by 2019 – held a day of action to raise awareness about the school’s plight.

Messages such as ‘stop the cuts’ and the projected numbers of ‘£437’ and ‘four teachers’ were drawn on the playground by hundreds of pupils and parents at the school – and the crew are encouraging other schools across the borough and beyond to make their own artistic displays in response to the cuts.

Mother-of-two Anke Böhme, one of the organisers of the event, said: “I was very concerned when I went to a meeting of the Fair Funding For All Schools Campaign and learned about the extent of the cuts in Haringey.

“These cuts will take away a chance of a bright future for our children. Quality education is the pillar of a successful economy. If education fails this impact will only be felt 10 years later.

“This is why we parents organised this little art project to make sure other parents aware of the cuts, so they can speak out against it too.”

Fellow parent Vanessa Frances said: “St Michael’s is an incredible school, placing as much importance on kindness, as it does on academic excellence.

“Children leave with a real sense of their place in the world, and the kind of education which gives them access to whatever field they choose.

“The proposed cuts will make it impossible for the school to continue to deliver this kind of quality.

“The suggestion that St Michael’s needs less funding because it’s in an affluent area is seriously flawed.

“Highgate is a very expensive area and many parents are making extreme sacrifices to continue to live there, as they want to give their children the best possible start in life.”

To view the predicted figures for your school visit schoolcuts.org.uk.