A FUNDING crisis has forced a head teacher to share “the reality of the situation” and ask parents for help.

Bearwood Primary and Nursery has seen a reduction in income leaving senior staff to “put a pinny on” and support at lunch times.

The school, in Barons Road, Bournemouth, has also been forced to reduce IT, cancel trips and limit playtime resources.

Head teacher Laura Bennett blames a drop in funding, rising costs, staff pensions, inflation and the minimum wage for the funding difficulties.

In a letter sent to parents she said: “Unfortunately, financially, things are not so easy to run as they were - we are in a funding crisis.

“This has prompted me to write to you all and share the reality of the situation, our ideas about moving forward and how you can help.”

She urged all parents whose children quality for pupil premium to apply for it and those families who have English as an additional language to allow the school to access additional funding on their behalf.

Ms Bennett went on: “Limitations are being placed on our spends when we would previously have afforded things: software licenses, playground equipment, courses for staff and developments in school.”

She stressed that staff at the school are doing their best and added: “If a teacher is absent then we will do our utmost to cover classes internally.

“If a lunchtime supervisor is absent myself or another member of staff will often put a pinny on and support lunchtimes.

“We currently have no school business manager and are saving money by the office staff and senior leadership team taking on different parts of the role.”

The letter urged families and friends of pupils to support school events and added: “Attend any of our events - have fun and spend some money.”

BCP Council Cabinet Member for Children and Families, Sandra Moore, said: “BCP Council recognises the financial pressures that schools are facing in the current economic climate.

“The council will continue to work with and support all of its local schools to ensure that the resources that are available are used as effectively as possible to meet the needs of all pupils.”

School leaders across the country have voiced concerns about funding.

General Secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, Paul Whiteman, said: “School budgets are at absolute breaking point. No school is immune. Primary and secondary, academy and local authority, mainstream and specialist; the entire state-funded school system is rapidly heading towards insolvency.”

“The cuts are beginning to have an impact on children and education. The government has tried to blame schools by suggesting that they are sitting on surpluses. Our data shows that whilst 76 per cent of schools were able to dip into reserves in 2015, this year it is only 41 per cent. Any rainy day money schools might have had has already been spent. The government’s only option now is to find more money for schools.”