Headteachers in the North East of England are writing to more than 300,000 parents to warn that their school budgets are at “breaking point”.

The letter seeks parents’ support in campaigning to secure more funding for schools.

Heads are urging parents to sign a parliamentary petition calling for an increase in school budgets, and encouraging them to write to their MPs.

The letter warns parents that schools have had to cut back on teaching staff, support for more vulnerable pupils, and free or subsidised extracurricular activities.

Peter King, headteacher at the Federation of Mowden Schools in Darlington, said: “Westminster just won’t acknowledge how difficult the funding issue is here in the North East.

“School leaders have previously tried to shield parents from the difficulties but because the situation is not sustainable, we now need parents to be fully aware.

‘Huge shortfall’ in school funding

“There simply are not the savings to be made that can make up for the huge shortfall in our funding. It feels very unfair to our children and to our staff.”

The letter, which has been backed by the NAHT headteachers’ union, suggests that average funding will be down by £189,776 per secondary school and by £30,904 per primary school in the North East in 2019-20 compared with 2015-16.

It follows a North East education summit last month where more than 150 school leaders, teachers and governors committed to “take further action to give the children of the North East the education they deserve”.

The government is facing mounting pressure to increase funding after schools have faced real-terms cuts.

Earlier this year headteachers marched on Westminster to demand more funding for schools.

The letter from North East heads says: “Schools are having to make difficult choices on how to spend their limited funding as their income has not kept pace with the rise in costs since 2010.

“All schools are working very hard to make ends meet but this is becoming increasingly difficult and verging on almost impossible.

“With increased pressures on school budgets and cuts to services that support our most vulnerable young people and their families, it is make-or-break time for our schools.”

Paul Whiteman, the NAHT’s general secretary, said: “Fifty-four per cent of MPs agree that there is a school funding crisis. As campaigners, this gives us hope.

“But it also tells us that there is more to do. As our letter says, on average, school funding in the North East will be cut by £30,904 per primary school and £189,776 per secondary school by the year 2019-20 compared to 2015-16.

Schools ‘forced to make redundancies’

“And yet the government continues to use misleading figures about school funding and standards. This needs to stop, and parents need to be told the truth.”

Mustafaa Malik, headteacher at Harlow Green Community Primary School in Gateshead, said: “The financial situation for schools has become critical. As a member of the local authority’s school forum, I have seen the continued struggle for schools in relation to budgeting, year on year. 

“Schools have cut back, where they can quickly do so, on many aspects over the last few years as resources become more expensive whilst funding has not kept up with inflation. 

“We are now in a position where Gateshead schools must make redundancies, with a great many other schools being informed that they will be in a potential deficit budget over the next two to three years.”

A Department for Education spokesman said: “Every child, regardless of where they grow up, deserves a high quality education.

“That’s why we have launched Opportunity North East, backed by a £24 million investment, to boost opportunities and improve outcomes for young people across the North East region.

“Under the National Funding Formula, the North East will receive an increase of 2.5 per cent per pupil for its schools by 2019-2020, compared to 2017-18 funding levels - which is an increase of £55.6 million when rising pupil numbers are also taken into account.”

The spokesman said that more money is going into schools “than ever before”, adding that support is being given to “make the most of every pound”.