A school’s unique protest against funding cuts to education across the borough has been captured by a drone flying above Hackney Marshes.
Helped by parents and teachers, students from Millfields Community School formed a human-made SOS distress signal with a twist, as the message was designed to represent the message ‘save our schools’.
Under the government’s current National Funding Formula proposal the Hilsea street school is set to lose £458,955 by 2019 – or the equivalent of £746 per pupil over that period.
The school’s protest was part of ‘outdoor education day’, which sees staff and students getting out and about in the open air and taking part in an array of activities.
Headteacher Jane Betsworth said: “Thank you to parents who came to help out with the logistics on the day, and to Fiona McAllister for the idea in the first place and to Jorn Tomter who owns the drone and took the photos.
“The staff and children really enjoyed the day.”
The school will be including one outdoor learning lesson every week in timetables after half term, and then will review the sessions to see if it is something it can continue all year round.
As part of the national ‘big assembly’ protest against funding cuts to schools, there will be a picnic in Millfields Park at 4pm on Friday and several destinations across Hackney.
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