Lake Illawarra South Public School and Oak Flats Public School will lose a combined $20,330 under the $664 million Gonski model which was announced last week by NSW education minister, Adrian Piccoli and premier Mike Baird.

Mr Piccoli said 84 per cent of NSW schools received an increase and 658 schools received an increase of more than $50,000.

However, member for Shellharbour Anna Watson has called on the minister to explain the funding loss for the two schools.

“Oak Flats Public School will receive nearly $4,000 less and Lake Illawarra South Public School will receive just over $16,000 less in funding next year,” Ms Watson said.

“Neither of these two schools are so-called rich schools and every single dollar counts in the education of children. 

“Every other school in my electorate will receive an increase in funding next year, which I wholeheartedly welcome. 

Ms Watson wrote to the Mr Piccoli seeking an urgent explanation as to why both schools received cuts.

A Education and Communities spokesperson said the funding was distributed under the needs based Resource Allocation Model (RAM), which takes into account students from low-socio economic or Aboriginal backgrounds, have a low-level disability or are developing the English language, and students in isolated communities. 

“If there are changes from the 2014 amounts it is because the needs of the students have changed.. for example they might have moved on to high school or possibly another school,” she said.

In regard to the two schools - Oak Flats Public School and Lake Illawarra South Public School - they are still receiving almost $232,000 and $160,000 in needs based funding respectively next year.

“The whole premise is that students with the greatest needs get a greater amount of funding and that is provided to their schools to support their learning.”