Holmfirth head teacher to skydive to boost school budget

Head teacher, the Reverend Evelyne Barrow, said she "can't be jumping out of a plane every week"

A head teacher is planning a sponsored skydive to raise money for her school after four members of staff left and it could not afford to replace them.

The Reverend Evelyne Barrow, from New Mill Infant and Junior Schools in Holmfirth, said they faced a budget shortfall of £27,000 a year.

She aims to raise £3,000 by jumping 15,000ft (4,572m) from a plane and has already raised more than £2,400.

Mrs Barrow said schools faced rising costs with no "endless pot" of money.

The Department for Education has been contacted for a comment.

Mrs Barrow said: "We are underfunded and I want to make sure that the children here have the very best that they can have.

The skydive was due to take place this weekend but was postponed due to the weather conditions

"If that means throwing yourself out a plane, then that is what we have to do."

However, she said she "can't be jumping out of a plane every week".

"Everything has gone up, the cost of resources have gone up, bills have gone up, gas and electric has quadrupled," added Mrs Barrow.

"If you are in a small school or have lower numbers then there just isn't the money to cover everything that you need it to cover.

"We do need the government to really think about how they fund schools, particularly in the current climate, it is very difficult."

Mrs Barrow has almost reached her target of £3,000

It comes as many schools in England have considered cutting teacher numbers or teaching hours to save money.

In November, a survey by the head teachers' union NAHT found of all the respondents, 66% said they would have to make teaching assistants redundant or cut their hours.

Half said they could do the same for teachers.

With most of a school's budget going on pay, the 5% pay increase that most teachers in England received in September has had a big knock-on impact on finances.

The skydive was due to take place this weekend, but had to be postponed due to thunderstorms.

Mrs Barrow hopes it will go ahead on Sunday, with the plane taking off from Humberside Airport.