A LEADING Bury headteacher this week described the staffroom scene at his cash-starved school, with stressed-out and overworked teachers "snapping at each other".

And Frank Bennett used the Woodhey High School speech night to issue this plea to new Prime Minister Tony Blair: "Sort out the iniquitous way that schools are funded. There is something seriously wrong".

Mr Bennett, head of the Bolton Road West, Ramsbottom, school since it opened in 1979, went on to tell the audience that committed teachers were suffering nervous breakdowns and many were quitting the profession early because of illness.

His graphic condemnation of the lack of adequate funding came in the same week that two other local headteachers singled out continuing cash shortages as the biggest threat to their staff and pupils' well-being.

Mr Bennett told his audience of parents, pupils and guests:

"When I walk into the staff room I see the pent-up frustration; I see that facial pallor and panic; I watch committed teachers snapping at each other from work overload. "I've had to deal with the repercussions of chronic sickness, stress and retirements through nervous breakdowns. It quite simply cannot go on.

"Something is seriously wrong," he said, and added this appeal to the Prime Minister.

"If you genuinely believe in equality of opportunity in education, then please sort out this iniquitous situation in the way that schools are funded."

He pointed out that if the 983-pupil school was in a neighbouring local authority it could be as much as £250,000-a-year better off. And, if they were in the London borough of Kensington, their funding would be improved by £1 million a year!

Mr Bennett's concerns at the funding cut - the first in Bury in 23 years - were echoed by the heads of both Tottington High and Parrenthorn High in Prestwich.

At Tottington, headteacher Mr Alan Scott spoke of the "devastating" loss of £71,000 from the budget at the school, which has 925 pupils on its roll.

Mr Scott, head for ten years, added: "We need to take stock now as a nation and not simply pay lip-service to the investment education produces in our young people."

And at Parrenthorn High's prizegiving evening, Mr Arthur Francis said the cuts "sapped the confidence of all concerned".

He said the school had been forced to reduce staff numbers and hoped that a borough-wide campaign for a fairer deal would be successful when the Government announces spending limits next Thursday.

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