THE OXFORD PAPER day
TV guide
60p
theoxfordpaper.co.uk
Say Hola to Spanish royalty
No need to be afraid of these cute wolf cubs
NEWS Page 4&5
NEWS Page 14
Weekly leisure guide for in & around Oxford
Getting into the spirit!
Out& About
7
Thursday, July 20, 2017 No.49
The Gin Festival comes to Oxford this weekend Pages 26&27
5
of the be
st... Places for of tenna game is Page 35
Your guide for your leisure time in & around Oxfordshire
Down by the riverside >
p26
Cornbury signs off > p28
Le Manoir c’est superbe
> p32
News of £1.3billion education funding greeted with mixed reaction
‘CHILDREN ONLY HAVE ONE GO AT EDUCATION’ Eva Astreinidou: Reporter
How far could you go on one of these?
IT may not be the Tour de France but these cyclists were attracting just as much interest from the crowds as they took to the streets of Wallingford on Sunday. Turn to pages 10&11 for full story and more pictures Picture: @stephen_turner1
A NEW pledge to pump £1.3billion into education has been condemned as just a ‘desperate attempt to pull wool over people’s eyes’. Oxford West and Abingdon MP Layla Moran has criticised the funding promised by the education secretary for the next two years. Ms Moran said: “Instead of providing the £4bn of extra funding promised in their manifesto, the Conservatives are recycling cash from the education budget. It is robbing Peter to pay Paul. “Schools are still facing cuts to their budgets once inflation and increasing class sizes are taken into account. Children only get one go at education. We need to invest more in our schools and ensure that no child is left behind.” A group which campaigns for school funding has also raised concerns about the lack of additional cash. Helen Brockett, parent and cofounder of Fair Funding for All Schools Oxfordshire, said it is good the concerns of teachers, headteachers and parents are no longer ignored but said schools are struggling with budgets as it is without any extra funds being granted. She said: “It will be a heroic task for the Department of Education (DfE) to fi nd savings of that order without impacting on schools somewhere
down the line. “We are still concerned that schools are struggling now with budgets and over the next few years will have inflation, increased teacher pension contributions and other costs that are increasing to deal with, so this money may not be enough to bridge that gap. “We also fear that Oxfordshire has been a historically underfunded area and although additional money is welcome will it be enough to cope with the increased demands on schools? We don’t know at this stage. “Is it a complete remedy? Far from it. We need to be vigilant. We need to press the case for investing in our schools. And while we have clearly persuaded education ministers, we may still need to change minds at the Treasury.” But the county’s Conservative MPs were more optimistic about the cash. After the announcement, Robert Courts, MP for Witney, tweeted: “Glad that my fight for West Ox schools has been rewarded.” In March Mr Courts expressed the need for all West Oxfordshire schools, especially those in rural areas, to have the funding they need. John Howell, MP for Henley, also welcomed Monday’s announcement. He said: “Today’s announcement sends a clear message that we are committed to raising standards and giving every child the best possible education and the best possible opportunities for their future.”
BICESTER VILLAGE RETAIL TALENT DAY Take your career to the next level On Pingle Field, located next to Bicester Village (access via the bridge from Bicester Village) on Wednesday 9 August, from 10 am to 4 pm. Are you a talented person with a passion for luxury retail? Bring your enthusiasm to a role at Bicester Village. Come to the Talent Day to discover the perfect role, with more than 40 brands offering managerial and non managerial positions. For more information and to register, visit Careers.BicesterVillage.com © Bicester Village 2017
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