CAMPAIGNERS calling for more school funding are urging supporters to turn out to demonstrate at a meeting of Essex County Council tomorrow.

Councillors at County Hall are set to discuss school budgets at its meeting at 10am.

It comes as a number of teachers and governors have called for more help as schools continue to struggle to balance the books.

Learning support assistants have been made redundant in a number of schools, including at Prettygate Infant and Junior School in Colchester.

Funding For Schools, a campaign group started up by school governors in north east Essex, is urging people to turn out to demonstrate their support.

Adele Jennings, a parent governor who is co-ordinating the Funding For Schools campaign, said: “Bring placards and banners.

“Come and let the politicians know that education is important and should be properly funded.

“By tipping schools into a funding crisis, the future for all of us is jeopardised.

“It is heartbreaking to hear what is happening in our schools as they struggle to make their budgets stretch to cover all of their costs.

“Within the borough of Colchester alone, dozens of school staff – mainly learning support assistants – are being made redundant.

“A huge 88 per cent of staff we surveyed are supplementing their school budgets by paying for their own resources themselves – anything from glue sticks to food for children who come to school hungry.

“Maintenance work on schools is being postponed, class sizes are growing, schools are no longer able to make ends meet and we’re saying enough is enough.”

The campaigners are urging the same for the next full meeting of Colchester Council, which takes place on Wednesday July 17 at Colchester Town Hall.

Schools say budgets have come under pressure as staffing costs including national insurance and pension contributions have gone up by much more than their income.

But the Government has argued it is has provided more cash for schools.

Find out more about the Funding for Schools campaign by searching Funding For Schools or #FFS on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.