The funding gap between state and independent schools in Cambridgeshire has to be redressed say Lib Dems (South East Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats)

South East Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats <info@secambslibdems.org.uk>

The funding gap between state and independent schools in Cambridgeshire has to be redressed say Lib Dems

March 1, 2009 1:05 PM

The gap between the money spent on state and independent school pupils in Cambridgeshire is one of the biggest in the country and Liberal Democrats will debate a plan to redress it for the poorest state students at their spring party conference which starts next Friday March 6.

Jonathan Chatfield their parliamentary spokesperson for South East Cambridgeshire will be there giving his backing to levelling the playing field between rich and poor families by raising the funding for those receiving free meals in state schools to that of the independent sector.

According to Government statistics in Cambridgeshire independent school pupils have over £3,000 a year more spent on them then their counterparts in County Council schools. The national average is under £2,500.

Only seven other local education authorities have a bigger difference between state and independent spending per pupil.

The Liberal Democrat plan would mean Cambridgeshire County Council receiving more than £18.5 million in additional support for state education from the Government.

This money would be found from £20 billion of national government savings which Liberal Democrats have identified which could be reallocated to its priorities.

Jonathan Chatfield the Lib Dem parliamentary spokesperson for South East Cambridgeshire explained:

"Proposals for big improvements to schools and teaching will be put before our spring conference in Harrogate next week and include over £18 million of extra cash for Cambridgeshire schools to boost the education and life chances of thousands of children.

"We also propose a £2.5 billion Pupil Premium, to ensure that extra funding goes to the pupils with the highest needs, whichever school they are in.

"And some of that extra money will pay for after school and Saturday classes, and extended school days.

"We will also get central government off the back of schools, teachers and pupils.

"The days of ministers in Whitehall stifling schools and interfering with everything that happens in the classroom must end.

"Cambridgeshire schools need to be freed to teach children rather than spend their time obeying ministerial orders and trying to achieve government targets.

"Our schools proposals will go a long way to ensuring that the many thousands of local children who go to local state schools have at least as good a start in life as the small number educated privately."