A PRIMARY school in a rural village near Wyre Forest is fundraising to pay for basic repairs and new play equipment as it faces increasing financial pressures from funding cuts.

Bayton C of E Primary School, near Far Forest, says it has been forced to "beg and borrow" from parents to carry out general maintenance of the school's grounds due to "squeezed" budgets for rural schools.

Headteacher Jolanda Simmonds told The Shuttle: "The financial pressures are always there, looming, because it's what schools face at the moment.

"Our funding is dictated by the number of pupils we have, so 90 per cent of that goes on staffing, which means we've got only 10 per cent to spend on everything else. It's the same for all village schools.

"The boiler is on its last legs, we have crumbling bricks in the cellar, flooring that needs replacing and the school building hasn't been painted for 30 years. In the school holidays I came in to paint classrooms myself.

"But we're in a position where we have to decide if the money is going to go on fixing the boiler or towards the children. Our main priority is the education of our children. We know we can't do it all.

"We're already having to beg and borrow from parents and ask them to give up time and free will. We've opened up for community days where parents and grandparents have come in with trowels and spades.

"Budgets have been squeezed so the money that is coming is less while outwardly costs are only increasing. We're trying to do a lot more with a lot less money."

The school, which has been rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted, is aiming to raise £20,000 through a series of fundraisers to pay for general maintenance and replace its old climbing frame, which was deemed unsafe and removed last term.

It also has an Amazon Wish List asking for donations of basic supplies like pens, paints, staples and plastic wallets.

Councillor Marcus Hart, cabinet member for education and skills at Worcestershire County Council, said: "Significant financial pressures within education is a national issue that the majority of local authorities, including Worcestershire, are continuing to experience.

"The county council has, for a number of years, been a key member of the F40 Group which represents the lowest funded local authorities.

"Schools in Worcestershire are allocated a budget share based upon the Department for Education's National Funding Formula parameters. Allocation of funding for schools will depend on a number of different criteria such as pupil numbers, deprivation statistics and low prior attainment levels."

"In the proposed budget for 2019/20, the council has included an investment of £13.7m to build, extend and maintain schools across the county."

Staff, governors and parents will be attempting to cycle non-stop for seven hours on February 4 to raise the much-needed cash.

Visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/baytonprimary to donate.