MALDON’S academy has joined a campaign against funding cuts that could bring a “dismayingly bleak” future to secondary schools.

Plume Academy has this week sent a letter home to parents highlighting the Department for Education’s National Funding Formula (NFF) which headteachers claim will result in an 8 per cent funding cut.

Headteacher Carl Wakefield said the formula, to be introduced next year, could damage standards at the academy.

He said: “If this new scheme were to go ahead, this would become very difficult, and we are dismayed at how bleak our financial situation looks.

“The only way we are balancing the books nowadays is by continuing to make drastic cuts and subsequently, not allowing such actions to affect our students’ education is becoming nigh on impossible.

“We could lose out on ICT equipment, sports equipment, books and teaching materials.

“This simply not acceptable and we would not be able to do it now but for the excellent hard working staff and students.

“This simply cannot continue without a real challenge coming from those who lead schools and academies.

“The students in our care and who we are most fortunate to work alongside every day, only get one chance at achieving the best possible outcomes and ultimately securing the best possible future for themselves.

“Therefore, it is time we united and took action to ensure this is not taken away from them.”

Joan Costello, headteacher of Ormiston Rivers Academy in Burnham, backed Mr Wakefield’s stance.

She said: “Ormiston Rivers, Plume and William de Ferrers in South Woodham Ferrers are hoping to arrange a meeting with (Maldon MP) John Whittingdale to discuss our position further, and we hope we can get our message across nationwide that this is an important matter which will have great implications on our schools and how they’re run.”

The Association of Secondary Headteachers in Essex (ASHE) believes that costs not included in the new scheme, including national insurance contributions and costs of staff recruitment, supply teachers, utilities and mental health support will result in a cut of 8 per cent to school funding.

A Department for Education spokesman said the new formula ended an “historic postcode lottery in school funding” and would see the majority of schools get more cash.

He said: “Significant protections have also been built into the formula so that no school will face a re- duction of more than more than 1.5 per cent per pupil per year or 3 per cent per pupil overall.

“Overall funding for schools in Essex would get a total uplift in funding of 2.6 per cent, just over £20m, if the proposed new funding formula was implemented.”

The spokesman added: "The government has protected the core schools budget in real terms since 2010, with school funding at its highest level on record at more than £40bn in 2016-17. But the system for distributing that funding across the country is unfair, opaque and outdated. We are going to end the historical post code lottery in school funding and under the proposed national schools funding formula, more than half of England’s schools will receive a cash boost – including the Plume Academy which would gain by 1.7 per cent under the proposals.

“We are consulting on the factors that will make up the formula and we know that it is important that we get this right so that every pound of the investment we make in education has the greatest impact. The consultation will run until 22 March 2017, and we are keen to hear from as many schools, governors, local authorities and parents as possible.

“Funding every child fairly and according to their needs is at the heart of delivering the government’s pledge to build a country that works for everyone. We recognise that schools are facing cost pressures, which is why we will continue to provide support to help them use their funding in cost effective ways, including improving the way they buy goods and services, so‎ they get the best possible value.”

A consultation, which will run until March 22, has been launched.