‘Their futures will be affected by the cuts’: Readers praise pupils’ for funding protest

More than 300 pupils from Watercliffe Meadow Primary School gathered outside Sheffield Town Hall earlier this week to protest against cuts to funding.

It comes after Ian Read, headteacher of Watercliffe Meadow Primary School in Norwood, revealed he has been forced to get rid of staff to save £125,000 over the next two years.

Star readers took to the comments section mostly in support but some argued the children were too young to be involved.

Kieran Kala Harman-siddall said: “You all did great, we are a fantastic school and will continue to fight for our school. If you could see our kids faces and tears because we are losing good teachers and staff. Parents want the best for our kids...in my eyes good parents and good teachers is a success and my family will back Watercliffe Meadow 100 percent.”

Neil Robinson commented: “Love the drive in the young protesters.”

Hayley Lowe posted: “Kids are there to learn. What exactly are they learning by striking? They are certainly not learning how to pass their exams which is all they should have to worry about at their age. It should be us as adults that fight for their future not them.”

Elsie Matthewman said: “What happened to innocence? There’s no wonder young children are stressed out, how dare they.”

Kerrie Hector commented: “Absolutely fantastic that these children were learning about politics, how decisions are made and how people in the UK can support what they believe in.

“Their futures and the ones of their younger siblings are the ones which will be directly affected by all the cut backs currently going on….I think it's fantastic these pupils were given this opportunity alongside the adults who normally make the majority of decisions in their lives. I wish more schools had got involved in this, I would have definitely encouraged my children to take part.”