Schools have complained about serious funding problems this year

Teachers at a primary school are to help with a budget deficit by giving their own money to school funds.

Ashby Church of England primary school in Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, faces a �38,000 budget shortfall - and teachers, cleaners and support staff are to give up a day's pay to reduce costs.

The money is to be handed over on Friday, in what teachers are calling Pay Back Day.

There have been widespread complaints about funding problems facing schools this year - with warnings that staff could be made redundant.

And the move by teachers, including six members of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, is likely to further embarrass the government.

"As teachers we decided to do something to improve our situation and on July 4th we will be handing back our day's pay to school funds to help pay for the basics that this government's funding system does not provide," said Jane Stevenson, teacher governor and library co-ordinator.

Depriving children

"We decided to donate a day's pay back to the school in order to buy some of the necessities that this year's budget cannot provide. This is in addition to the hundreds of pounds worth of resources that we have been buying over the years.

"In effect, we as professionals are funding what the government is depriving the children of. Leicestershire is the lowest funded county in England. Does this means that our children are worth less than children in any other county?"

The teachers' union says that the budget shortages will mean that the school could lose support staff and will not be able to spend money on training and library books.

It attributes the loss of money to increased staffing costs and changes to funding arrangements for special needs pupils.

In response, a spokesperson for the Department for Education said that school funding was being increased, nationally and locally.

"Schools have received a record �2.7bn this year. Leicestershire has received year on year increases as well as an additional �0.84 million to ensure a 3.2% per pupil increase for 2003-04," said the spokesperson.

"We have also announced extra flexibilities this year and encourage schools to work closely with their local education authorities to resolve outstanding problems."