A SCHOOL finance boss has publicly apologised over cash cuts, saying “we have no choices left”.

Hilary Goldsmith, director of finance and operations at Varndean High School in Brighton, wrote an emotional letter on school funding to the Times Educational Supplement on Friday.

In an apologetic message to teachers across the country, she described the cash crisis as an “unholy mess”.

She said as the new term and financial year begins, budgets have once again been slashed and teachers will “once again, have to make do with less”.

She wrote: “We’re sorry. Please understand that we have no choices left.

“We haven’t cut your budgets because we’re unkind or mean.

“Or because we don’t like your department. Or you. Or because we’re power-hungry, unfeeling, control freaks or inefficient. We’ve done it because we have a loaded gun to our heads.

“It breaks our hearts, too.”

Former Education Secretary Justine Greening said last year spending on schools would go up by £1.3 billion over the next two years on top of existing plans.

She said: “This would mean that we could press ahead with introducing a national funding formula for schools and high needs from April 2018 that would provide a per pupil cash increase in respect of every school and every local area, and maintain the overall budget in real terms, per pupil.”

However, Ms Goldsmith claims there have been more cuts.

She told colleagues: “As we enter a new term and, for many, a new financial year, you will find that all budget lines and cost centres have been cut again and you will, once again, have to make do with less.

“Less printing, less teaching-assistant support, less administrative support, less furniture, less CPD [continuing professional development], less cleaning, less maintenance, less software, less pastoral care for students and less technician support in lessons, not to mention fewer books, fewer resources and fewer trips.

“We won’t be renewing your laptops this year, nor will we be redecorating your classroom.

“We hoped to replace your classroom chairs and fix the blinds, but we won’t be doing that, either.

“The dining hall tables will have to stay wobbly and we hope the floor in the sports hall will last another year.

“The canteen portions may get smaller and the prices may go up.

“The DT and PE equipment will be serviced, but we won’t be replacing the old machines.

“The old lights in the corridors?

“No, we won’t be replacing those, and we’ll be painting around the crumbling areas of tarmac on the playground instead of replacing them.”

Comment: Page 10