Some students at Oxford schools could be left without the specialist support they need

A draft of the Government's new national funding formula (NFF) for schools suggests that nine schools in the city would lose money – despite the shake-up being designed to make funding 'fairer'.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the headteacher of one of the worst-affected schools warned the education of all pupils could ultimately be affected.

NUT Oxfordshire spokesman Gawain Little said: "It is going to be really serious.

"Schools are being pushed to the brink in terms of what they can provide.

"Schools will look at cutting back on things like teaching assistants and additional support for children with special educational needs or with English as an additional language.

"Our most vulnerable children are being put in a situation where they either sink or swim."

Mr Little added that all city schools – not just those in the most deprived areas – had a mixed intake of pupils including those who needed extra help.

The NFF – which is still under consideration by the Government – would come into effect from the 2018/19 school year.

It is intended to address disparities in school funding that have resulted in Oxfordshire being one of the worst-funded areas in England for decades.

But figures released by the Department for Education following consultation showed nine city schools could lose thousands of pounds while others will gain at their expense.

While some schools could benefit from extra cash, Wolvercote Primary School could stand to lose about £16,000 a year, although acting executive headteacher Jon Gray warned the true figure could be closer to £30,000.

He said: "I hoped that the fairer funding formula would level the playing field, not to find out that some schools will lose out in quite a big way.

"We are talking about the equivalent of two-and-a-half teaching assistants or one teacher.

"This will have an effect on how we run our school and how we support children.

"We have got to do our best to make sure it does not have an impact but that will be very difficult.

"Our role as teachers is to make sure it does not affect children in the front line but I cannot see how it will not."

Mr Gray said he wanted the Government to review the proposals.

Oxford Spires Academy is set to gain money from the formula but headteacher Sue Croft said she was worried the proposals would hurt other schools.

She said: "It is just not fair.

"We will have more money to focus on disadvantaged students and that means we can do things to help them but money will still be very tight."

Oxfordshire county councillor and Oxford University education expert Professor John Howson said city schools in all areas faced challenges which meant they needed adequate funding.

He said: "Probably the biggest challenge is that they have a bigger turnover of pupils in between years but funding for that has not been factored into the formula.

"In a high cost area like Oxford clearly you have to pay more to attract teachers.

"If some schools in the city are getting more than others then they may not be able to attract teachers."

Speaking in Parliament last week Education Secretary Justine Greenings said: "We said that we would protect the core schools budget in real terms and that is exactly what we are doing.

"The second stage of the consultation on the funding formula runs until 22 March.

"We want to hear from as many school governors, schools, local authorities and parents as possible."

The five worst-off schools in Oxford under the new proposals:

John Henry Newman Academy -£38,000 a year (-2.8 per cent)

Woodstock Church of England Primary School -£26,000 (-2.6 per cent)

St Christopher's Church of England School -£12,000 (-2.3 per cent)

St Andrew's Church of England School -£21,000 a year (-2.2 per cent)

St Nicholas Church of England Primary School -£10,000 a year (-2.2 per cent)