Head teachers from across the county say they have a “profound and growing concern” regarding the “chronic underfunding” of schools which sees West Sussex remaining one of the lowest-funded local authorities in the country despite a local campaign, Worth Less?, running for almost a decade.
In 2026/27 West Sussex schools have the fifth lowest secondary unit of funding (the amount a school receives per pupil per academic year) in England of £7,125.58, compared to an England average £7,679.90 and a South East average of £7,360.89.
In West Sussex primary schools have the seventh lowest unit of funding of £5,511.74 compared to an England average of £5,931.78 and a South East average of £5,662.72.
In the letter they said: “Even with recent incremental increases, the ‘uplift’ has been swallowed by rising energy costs, unfunded pay awards, and the soaring costs of SEND provision.
“We are effectively running up a down-escalator.”
