CHANGES in how grammar schools are funded is set to cost one school £100,000 a year.

But MP Will Quince said “overall Colchester schools benefit from this national change.”

Many schools have long campaigned for ‘fairer funding’ believing the current system favours those in cities, at the expense of those in suburbs and the shires.

But the Grammar Schools Heads Association has said planned changes will hit 103 grammar schools nationally, while 60 will gain.

This led one Manchester grammar school to report it is considering asking parents to pay £40 a month to make up its shortfall.

Grammar school heads in Colchester said Essex grammar schools, including their own, would lose out.

Gillian Marshall, head teacher of Colchester County High School for Girls, said her school looks set to lose around £100,000 a year out of an annual £4million budget.

The school, rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, has already been preparing for such funding cuts by “paring back” over the past 2-3 years.

Mrs Marshall said: “We have taken money off training. We have reduced staff numbers by 2 or 3 out of 70-80 as we haven’t always replaced people when they retired.” Or replacement staff may work fewer hours.

The school “won’t be charging parents” but they are free to make voluntary contributions and already “give what they can” with a parents teachers association.

The head of 931 pupils added: “The changes are disappointing. Funding is very tight. But we get on and do it.”

John Russell, headmaster of Colchester Royal Grammar School, said all Essex Grammar schools faced funding cuts of 2.9 per cent over three years. Details have yet to be finalised but he expected his 800-year-old school to lose £70,000 a year out of a £5 million annual budget.

Also rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, the school which has more than 1,000 students, plans to maintain class sizes, and the subjects it teaches, to keep its curriculum ‘broad.’ Mr Russell said: “We will be looking to be more creative in making up the shortfall. I do not know how we are going to address it.”

The head said he didn’t know if this might include charges, saying “voluntary contributions is not a new idea” and schools have been seeking them for 20 years or more.

He added: “Schools are expected to turn to parents. We are not cutting back on staff. We are not going to reduce our curriculum.”

Colchester MP Will Quince defended the funding rule changes, which are due in 2018-19.

“The Government has protected the schools budget. The current system of distributing school funding is unfair, inefficient, and out-of-date. Our proposals will mean a fairer system of school funding and overall Colchester schools benefit from this national change.

“However, the Government recognises that schools are facing cost pressures, and we will continue to provide advice and support to help them use their funding in cost effective ways.”