Parents painting and fundraising to support schools

"In an ideal world, you always want a little bit more... we've just tried to make the best of the situation we're in."

As term-time approaches, head teacher Will Reeves has just finished painting a battered-looking corridor at Cropredy Primary School near Banbury, Oxfordshire.

He says tight budgets have led to him - along with help from parents from the school's PTA - turning his hand to DIY over the summer to improve the school's worn buildings.

The Department for Education said Oxfordshire would receiving £549.6m for mainstream schools in 2025-26 – an increase of £11.7m on the previous year.

Cropredy C of E Primary School was previously run by Oxfordshire County Council, but was taken over by the EPA Trust in January 2024.

Mr Reeves joined the school the following May.

He says the trust is "incredibly supportive" and able to fund major projects like the rebuilding of the school's crumbling early years buildings.

But smaller projects, such as "cleaning gutters and fixing ceilings" are taken on by the school's community.

In January, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said costs would outpace funding for schools in 2025-26.

Its report warned that costs were likely to rise by 3.6%, leaving some schools facing tough choices.

Joining Mr Reeves is Louise Shore, chair of its Parent Teacher Association (PTA), who has brought her two daughters who attend the school.

She says the school's need for change has led to better links with its community.

"It's nice to be able to get everyone together to help improve the school, with its something like painting, or fundraising," she says.

"In an ideal world, you would think this isn't how a school should operate. But at the same time it helps bring the school closer together."

Meanwhile, the chair of the PTA at Crowmarsh Gifford Primary School in Wallingford, Clare Walker, has set up a fundraising page for new laptops.

The school currently has 15 laptops for just over 200 children and would like enough for a single class to have one each.

Ms Walker says sufficient access to laptops is "fundamental" to the children's education.

"We feel if we [as parents] can contribute to children's environment, as well as their education, it's really important we're able to do so," she says.

An Oxfordshire County Council spokesperson said the school condition allocation (SCA) from central government was intended for "reactive maintenance" to ensure schools remained open.

"As the allocation is on an annual basis, it is difficult to have an ongoing planned maintenance programme for our schools," they said.

"This often leaves schools looking at their own resources for any ongoing maintenance such as painting, IT refresh, furniture, and minor adaptations.

"Primary schools are also particularly challenged currently due to falling birth rates, which for some schools mean a year-on-year reduction in their budget due to fewer pupils applying for a place".

In a statement, a Department for Education spokesperson said: "We are investing almost £3 billion per year by 2034-35 to improve the condition of school buildings, on top of the almost £20 billion for the School Rebuilding Programme, delivering rebuilding projects at over 750 schools across England."

"Alongside this, we are putting a further £3.7bn into schools' budgets and increasing pupil premium to over £3 billion for 2025-26 to provide additional support for those children that need it most, so every child can achieve and thrive."