Annabelle Ewing's work on school funding in Ochil and South Perthshire
Annabelle Ewing has spent years working to bring more money into the classrooms of Ochil and South Perthshire, and her efforts have caught the attention of education advocates well beyond Scotland. As the Scottish National Party candidate for the seat, she combines a legal background with grassroots campaigning, pushing both local authorities and Westminster to back schools that have long felt overlooked. Her focus on fair funding resonates with parents, teachers, and community groups who want the same opportunities for every child, regardless of postcode.
In Australia, parents know the sting of postcode inequality all too well. The long fight over the Gonski needs-based funding model showed how hard it is to shift entrenched formulas. Ewing's approach, mixing legal know-how with persistent lobbying, offers a model that Australian school communities might recognise even if the political backdrop is entirely different.
The funding gap facing schools in the constituency
Many primary and secondary schools in the constituency have faced squeezed budgets for the better part of a decade. Buildings need repairs, support for additional learning needs is stretched, and extracurricular programmes often rely on parents dipping into their own pockets. Ewing has repeatedly highlighted these shortfalls, arguing that the Scottish Government formula has not kept pace with rising costs or local demographic changes.
The pattern is similar to what families in outer suburbs of Perth or regional Victoria deal with when their local school receives a fraction of what inner-city schools get. Parents on both sides of the world recognise the frustration of seeing catchment boundaries determine the quality of education their children receive.
Legal expertise driving the campaign
Trained as a solicitor before entering Parliament, Ewing brings a sharp analytical lens to funding disputes. She has scrutinised budget lines, challenged officials over headline figures, and used parliamentary questions to extract detailed breakdowns of how money flows from Holyrood to individual schools. Her legal training means she rarely accepts vague reassurances.
This methodical approach is something seasoned campaigners in Brisbane or Adelaide would appreciate. Getting straight answers out of bureaucrats requires the kind of persistence Ewing is known for. Rather than grandstanding, she builds a case brick by brick, then presses for commitments that cannot easily be walked back.
Working alongside local councils and families
Ewing has made a point of showing up at school gates, parent council meetings, and community events across towns like Auchterarder, Crieff, and Bridge of Allan. She listens to headteachers describe the trade-offs they face every term, and she carries those stories into meetings with council leaders and ministers. This boots-on-the-ground approach has helped her identify where the real gaps sit, rather than relying on broad-brush statistics.
Her office has also helped parents navigate the paperwork for additional support for children with learning differences. Whether it is filling out forms for an education plan or chasing up a delayed assessment, the team treats every case as worthy of attention. For busy mums and dads juggling work and school runs, that kind of support is worth its weight in gold.
Lobbying at Westminster
As MP for the area until 2015 and now as candidate again, Ewing has spent considerable energy engaging with UK Government ministers on the Barnett formula and consequentials that affect Scotland's block grant. While education is largely devolved, the overall settlement still shapes what Holyrood can spend. Ewing argues that Scotland deserves a fairer deal so that local authorities can fund schools properly.
This kind of inter-governmental wrangling has parallels in Australia, where state and federal responsibilities for schooling overlap in confusing ways. Anyone who has tried to figure out whether Canberra or the state government pays for a particular programme knows the headaches Ewing is dealing with at a much larger scale.
Comparing funding approaches across the UK
| Funding model | Source of money | Local flexibility | Equity focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland (current) | Scottish Government via local authorities | Moderate | Needs-based, but capped |
| England | Direct to academies and councils | High | Variable, postcode lottery |
| Wales | Welsh Government ring-fenced grant | Lower | Stronger equalisation |
| Northern Ireland | NI Executive block | Moderate | Integrated approach |
The table above shows why Ewing insists on a Scotland-specific solution rather than importing English academy-style reforms. Local authorities in Ochil and South Perthshire want predictable, needs-based funding that reaches every classroom. Ewing's pitch is that independence would allow Scotland to design a system tailored to its communities, rather than working around constraints set in Whitehall.
Tangible results on the ground
Her campaigning has already delivered small but meaningful wins. Several schools have received additional capital funding for roof repairs and accessibility upgrades after sustained pressure from Ewing's office. A handful of primary schools secured extra staffing for nurture and wellbeing programmes, helping children who had fallen behind during the pandemic years.
None of this happened by accident. Ewing's team built dossiers of evidence, submitted freedom of information requests, and kept the pressure on through local media coverage. The results may not grab headlines in Sydney or Melbourne, but for parents in places like Auchterarder or Crieff, they mean their children learn in safer, better-supported environments.
Practical steps for supporters
Getting involved in the campaign does not require a law degree or years of political experience. Parents, teachers, and neighbours can all play a part in pushing for fairer school funding. Ewing's team has put together a straightforward set of actions that anyone in the constituency can take to add their voice to the campaign.
- Visit the campaign site at https://snp-annabelle-ewing.org/ to volunteer or sign up for updates
- Attend a local school funding meeting and share your story with the team
- Write to your MSP highlighting specific budget shortfalls in your area
- Donate to support printing and outreach in rural communities
- Follow Annabelle on social media and amplify her parliamentary questions
- Encourage other parents to engage with headteachers about funding priorities
- Turn out to vote on polling day and bring a mate along
The work to properly fund schools in Ochil and South Perthshire continues, and Annabelle Ewing remains committed to making sure every child in the constituency gets the resources they deserve. Supporters can get involved today by heading along to a local event or signing up online, lending their voice to a campaign that puts classrooms first. Whether you are a parent, teacher, or neighbour who cares about the next generation, your contribution counts in the push to secure a fair go for every pupil.