Commons told rural pupils suffer through funding shortfall

Lindsey Wharmby and Rev Francis Loftus represented the f40 group which is calling for the Government to close the gaps between the different levels of support local education authorities receive.

The pair gave evidence to the inquiry yesterday to raise awareness of the plight of rural schools.

Most councils in Yorkshire receive at least 2,500 less per pupil than the most well-supported London boroughs and more than three-quarters of the region's 15 councils are given less than the national average per pupil.

The f40 group, which represents 40 of the worst funded authorities in the country – including East Riding, North Yorkshire, York, North Lincolnshire and Wakefield – says the current formula works against schools in rural areas who are not funded to the same level as schools in towns and cities with higher deprivation.

Mrs Wharmby, who is a former Leeds head teacher and now acts as a financial adviser to the f40 group said: "The f40 authorities are concerned that the true cost of running rural schools is not reflected in the original, now dated, Education Standard Spending Formula (ESSF) and our rural members are looking for responses to some important issues in the government's Funding Formula Review, which is due to report shortly."

North Yorkshire's representative on the f40 group, Rev Francis Loftus, the former head of Barlby High School said: "Small schools cost more per pupil to run but are essential in rural areas, both as a community focus and to ensure pupils do not spend more time travelling than being educated.

"Both pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and those who are exceptionally able need additional challenge and opportunities. Providing for these additional needs is more costly in rural areas because of the diseconomy of scale."