HEAD teachers at a Rawdon school are warning about the potential impact of a government funding shortfall.

Delia Martin and Steve Dixon, co-head teachers at Benton Park School, have spoken out in support of comments made by the Labour prospective parliamentary candidate for Pudsey.

Jamie Hanley warned of the devastating impact that a £20.8m shortfall could have across Leeds schools because of increased pension and National Insurance contributions and inflation.

The head teachers, who are both high school representatives on Leeds Schools Forum, said: “These extra costs will have a major effect on the budget of all high schools.

“It will mean large high schools like ours will lose over £250,000 of funding every year; this is the equivalent of six teaching posts.

“If high schools had to lose six teachers this would inevitably mean larger classes and a reduction in the subjects, which could be offered to students.

“We will speak to our MP about this and will ask him to contact the Education Secretary to help her to understand the major impact this could have on all schools including ours.

“We have already had to deal with a reduction of over £300,000 in our school budget due to the cuts in funding for sixth form pupils.

“We have managed this but any further cuts to funding will have a major impact.”

Mr Hanley said a funding shortfall across Leeds over the next two years would have a devastating impact, with the loss of hundreds of teaching jobs.

He said: “Leeds Schools Forum, which represents schools in Leeds including every school in our constituency, has provided irrefutable evidence of massive reductions to school budgets in the next 18 months due increased taxation to be paid by schools.”

But the government has been investing in Leeds schools, according to Pudsey, Horsforth and Aireborough MP Stuart Andrew.

He says more than £84.6 million has been invested in school places across Leeds since 2010.