PUPILS at a Maidstone secondary school are to be sent home early from September because of a funding crisis.

Maplesden Noakes School says a budget shortfall has left it with no alternative but to timetable fewer lessons for some children as part of a package of cost-cutting measures.

The news comes as schools across the county grapple with cash shortages, which many blame on Government under-funding.

Pupils at Maplesden Noakes in Years Seven and Eight aged 11 to 13 will have two fewer classes each week and be sent home early on two days.

Pupils in Year Nine aged 13 and 14 will be taught one less class each week and will have to go home early on one day.

Victims

The measure will save the school at Buckland Road around £40,000 but is only one element of a range of steps governors have agreed are needed to balance the books.

In a letter sent to the parents last week, head Doug Kimber says the school is not to blame and the budget problems are "beyond our control".

"We do not want to make a public statement on the causes, suffice to say that your children are to be victims of these miscalculations," the letter states.

It goes on to say the school has a shortfall of £134,000 despite a £192,000 increase in its budget of more than £3million.

As well as pupils being sent home, the school will not be replacing two teachers; plans to lop £20,000 from its books and equipment budget and will not teach music for pupils in Years 7 to 10.

Mr Kimber said governors and staff had thought long and hard before agreeing to the steps.

"Through no fault of our own, we have simply had no alternative. We were given a 6.8 per cent increase but needed 8.9 per cent more to bridge a shortfall and in the end have found ourselves £134,000 short," he said.