One of Wales’ top-performing schools has been given an emergency payout to stay afloat and is making staff redundant to cut costs as it faces a deficit of almost £600,000. A damning auditor’s report into spending at Stanwell School in Penarth reveals a £283,000 overspend on a new wellbeing centre, poor governance, and budgeting.
Vale of Glamorgan Council has confirmed it has given Stanwell School an undisclosed emergency pay out. In total the foundation school's deficit amounts to £588,165 and 17 jobs are going including teachers and support staff.
The auditor’s report showed “significant weaknesses in aspects of financial management” and “unrealistic” budgeting, the council said. As a foundation school Stanwell gets public money but runs its own budget and decides its own admissions processes.
