A GRAMMAR school will increase class sizes and limit the number of GCSEs pupils can take because of spiralling costs.

Dr Paul Hayman, headteacher at Westcliff High School for Girls, claimed he had already slashed budgets, but said there would still be “significant changes” at the school as it copes with less funding than mainstream comprehensive schools.

Southend’s four grammar schools, Southend High for Boys, Southend High for Girls, Westcliff High for Boys and Westcliff High for Girls, have seen costs spiral and funding stay the same, as money is diverted to more deprived schools.

At Westcliff High School for Girls, in Kenilworth Gardens, pupils will no longer take 12 GCSEs with Year 8 students instead taking 11 as they attempt to save cash.

Dr Hayman said: “We have slashed our departmental budgets and we have less money for resources.

“Pupils will have to take one less GCSE. Before they’ve had up to five options, now it will be up to four options.

“Parents are very disappointed the school is in this situation, but have been very supportive.

“We are fairly confident a number of courses at A-Level will have to reduce and we are looking at lessons and reducing the amount.”

The school receives £4,449 per pupil compared to some comprehensive schools, which get £7,500.

The Government decides the amount, based on the school’s intake of pupils from deprived backgrounds.

Dr Hayman says there will be bigger classes – of 31 pupils – from September, teaching time for sixth formers will be cut and the facilities rationed, including computer printers.

More than 4,000 people have already signed an online and paper petition against the current funding arrangements, which MP Sir David Amess will present to the House of Commons.

Dr Hayman added: “We appreciate the support being shown by people in the community and parents in the school for the financial situation we are in and we hope by raising the profile there may be changes.

“Westcliff High School for Girls is the lowest funded secondary school in Southend.

“There are schools where on average per pupil they get nearly 60 per cent more and the problem for Westcliff is we have done our forward budgeting for the next two to three years and unfortunately the Government is not committed to giving any more money to education, but we still have to pay for any nationally imposed national insurance contributions, pension increases and pay awards and the inflation that goes with it. In two to three years time we will not have enough money to cover our bills.”

SOUTHEND MP Sir David Amess hopes to present the paper petition to government soon.

He has arranged meetings between the borough’s grammar school heads and former education secretary, Michael Gove MP, to discuss the issue.

Sir David said: “I have received over 1,000 campaign cards regarding grammar schools in Southend. I was fortunate enough to benefit from an education at a local grammar school in East London, St Bonaventure’s, so I very much understand and value the education which our four local grammar schools provide.

“Quite clearly the present funding system is simply unfair for grammar schools. Perversely, they seem to be penalised for their very success. This is quite wrong and I and my parliamentary colleagues who have such schools in their constituencies, intend to fight for fair funding.”

Part of the funding each school receives fromWhitehall is based on pupils’ social background, with schools teaching children from deprived homes getting more.

Sir David said: “Grammar schools in Southend cannot be underfunded simply because they are too successful.

I will not let this drop and I hope to be able to present the official petition to the House of Commons in the coming weeks.”