James MacCleary MP joins protest against school staff cuts in Lewes

James MacCleary, MP for Lewes, joined striking staff and concerned parents at Western Road Community Primary School to protest against planned layoffs of teachers and support staff. The school, already oversubscribed and highly regarded, faces cuts that threaten the quality of education and the support available for its most vulnerable students.

James said: “Slashing staff numbers at a thriving and oversubscribed school is short-sighted and damaging. Pushing problems down the chain to secondary schools by reducing early-years support will cost more in the long run and harm children’s future success. Schools should be nurturing children at the start of their education journey, not stripping away the very resources that help them thrive. This approach won’t save money — it will simply create bigger challenges and higher costs later on. As a dad, I know how important a well-resourced school is to my children, and every child deserves that same support and opportunity."

Local Town Councillor for the area, Kevin West, added: “The reduction in support staff hits the most vulnerable pupils hardest. It’s unacceptable for children’s education to suffer because of inadequate school funding."

BBC coverage is available here: Lewes Western Road school teachers strike over staff cuts - BBC News