Lichfield’s MP has said schools in the region will benefit from changes to education funding.
Michael Fabricant’s comments come after reports suggested funding would be allocated on a more centralised basis.
Under the proposals being drawn up, funding would be controlled by Whitehall rather than local authorities.
And Lichfield’s Conservative MP believes the move would see a reduction in the gap between school funding in Staffordshire and the rest of the UK. He explained:
“Staffordshire school funding has always been one of the lowest in the country and it is simply not fair that school children in Manchester receive 14 per cent more than school children in Staffordshire for the same education. I hope that by simplifying the funding formula, this injustice will be rectified. The change would be monumental.
“Out of 149 local authorities in England, Staffordshire ranks 18th from bottom with many other Midlands counties including Shropshire, Gloucestershire, and Leicestershire doing equally badly. Why should a school with a 1,000 pupils in Manchester receive £500,000 more allocation than a similarly sized school in Staffordshire? It is patently unfair to pupils and their parents.
“I shall be contacting Education Secretary, Michael Gove, urging him to simplify the funding formula so that a national standard is established which ensures that no matter where a school is, a standard pupil in a particular age grade will attract the same amount of money to the school.”
