大象传媒

Following the fortunes of a primary school in a poor part of Birmingham as it reduces its teaching to four and half days a week in a battle to stay solvent.

Sixty per cent of students in Bellfield Junior School in Northfield are on free school meals and many parents struggle to pay the bills.

Meanwhile Bellfield's headteacher has to raid his budget for unexpected costs like damaged windows in the classrooms and a buckling floor in the canteen.

Many support services which the local authority used to provide have now disappeared.

Nevertheless, the school is rated "good" by Ofsted and praised by parents.

Emma Jane Kirby hears about the difficult choices which are faced by many other primary schools.

Presenter: Emma Jane Kirby
Producer: Bob Howard