Charlotte Newton HEADTEACHERS have renewed calls for Haringey schools to receive an extra �1,000 per pupil to bring the amount of government funding they receive in line with neighbouring London boroughs. The latest government figures show that schools in

Charlotte Newton

HEADTEACHERS have renewed calls for Haringey schools to receive an extra �1,000 per pupil to bring the amount of government funding they receive in line with neighbouring London boroughs.

The latest government figures show that schools in Haringey receive a guaranteed allowance of �4,987 per pupil, while Camden schools receive �6,161, Westminster schools receive �5,439, Hackney �6,170, Islington �5,812 and the City of London �7,362 per pupil.

This means that Haringey schools receive hundreds of thousands of pounds less each year than schools in neighbouring boroughs.

Andrew Wickham, headteacher of Weston Park Primary School in Crouch End, said: "This is a real issue for Haringey. Schools in the borough do not receive enough money to meet the needs of their children.

The anomaly occurred because the government gives the 25 boroughs which used to make up the Inner London Authority - including Hackney and Islington - an inner city London adjustment fund which is meant to help meet the problems of deprivation in the capital.

Haringey is one of the most deprived boroughs in London, yet schools receive eight per cent more than the national average - while other wealthier London boroughs such as Kensington and Chelsea receive 27 per cent more than the national norm.

Mr Wickham said: "If Haringey was paid the inner city adjustment fund we could employ more staff and teachers which would improve our children's attainment."

Tony Brockman, secretary of the Haringey NUT, said: "The focus of the union's campaign is to address the area adjustment. It's manifestly unfair that Kensington and Chelsea gets 27 per cent more than the national norm while Haringey gets only eight per cent more.

"The failure of the government to fund Haringey properly is a scandal."

Haringey Labour councillor Lorna Reith, cabinet member for children and young people, said: "Haringey should receive more money for schools. We have been making our case to the government for some time.

"Both myself and the leader support an NUT campaign in the borough calling for an extra �1,000 a year per pupil in line with neighbouring boroughs.

"I have also signed a petition on the No. 10 website for increased funding."

A spokeswoman for the Department for Education, Families and Skills (DfES) said: "The issue of what Haringey spends on teachers and the funding it receives through the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) has been raised with the department and is being considered as part of the current review of the DSG.

"Schools are funded on the basis of a three-year settlement which runs until 2011. Ministers have decided that there should be a review of the DSG formula which would be available for use from 2011-12.

"The aim is to develop proposals in the autumn to go out to wider consultation in early 2010. We would expect announcements regarding the new funding formula in summer 2010 for commencement in 2011-12.