HEADTEACHER Alan Johnson says he will persevere against funding cuts to continue providing a good education to students at Newent Community School.

The Watery Lane school is projected to suffer a loss in its budget by 2022 of £336,625, according to the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers.

The Conservative Party’s proposals would see a funding loss of £436 per pupil and nine fewer teachers but Mr Johnson says he will ensure these changes do not affect the school’s performance.

He said: “This school is an exceptional place to educate young people. We are fully staffed and have fully qualified teachers. In terms of the recruitment crisis we are not affected.?

“Newent is a fantastic place for young people to receive a very broad education.

“If I didn’t believe that were the case I wouldn’t have moved my daughter to the school.”?

Mr Johnson said it is important to prepare students for a fast changing world and jobs market.

He said: “We teach character right the way through. The way society is developing we need to develop children for a rapidly changing room.

Newent Community School and Sixth Form Centre prides itself in developing young leaders.

The school’s current year seven group are taking part in the young leaders program.

And as part of the scheme they have formed a pop music band and are practicing to raise funds for charity.

They are also tasked with getting other students to help out with the charities and have so far worked with Cancer Research and Purple4Polio.

Sixth former Molly Riddell, 17, says the support from teachers at Newent Community School has helped her achieve a position at university to read Psychology at

Winchester and said she will be sad to say farewell to her teachers at the end of term.

Miss Riddell said: “The school know me as an individual and they know what works for me. They’ve got that for all students in the school so I’ve really enjoyed that connection.”