New figures show that the Government’s plans to shake up school funding will mean painful cuts to Sunderland schools. 

The Government claims that the proposed National Funding Formula will address gaps in funding between different areas, but campaigners have revealed 98% of schools will face cuts in spending per pupil under the plans.

It’s disappointing to see that my constituency of Sunderland Central is among the worst affected third of constituencies in the country, with schools in the city set to see funding per pupil cut by 10% by 2020.

I’m delighted that across Sunderland exam results are up on last year, but I’m concerned that they remain below the national average. The latest figures show that 53% of students gained five or more A*-C grades as GCSE, compared to the national average of 57%.

I’m worried that these cuts could jeopardise the hard work and dedication of students and teachers that led to these improvements, threatening progress in the future.

Students in my city of Sunderland deserve a top class education, so I’ve written to the Minister for Education asking her to push the Chancellor to reconsider these cuts and deliver the extra resources that schools in Sunderland need. I would also urge people in Sunderland to sign a petition to the Chancellor which can be found here: http://www.schoolcuts.org.uk.