independent Cornish news and comment

Cornish pupils will lose out

Schools in Cornwall will receive £350 per pupil less than the national average by 2010, following a government funding announcement yesterday.


MPs in Cornwall have promised to campaign all-out to stop the plans which mean that the pupil funding gap between Cornwall and the rest of the country, first created by funding formulas introduced by the Conservatives in the 1990s, is set to widen. The Cornish MPs have today written to the Education Minister pressing her instead to pledge to narrow the gap.

This financial year, the average school pupil in Cornwall will see their education funding fall short of the national average by £300. By 2010 this gap will have widened to £350 per pupil. That loses a 1000 pupil Secondary School in Cornwall a staggering £350,000 a year compared to schools elsewhere.

Ministerial plans to raid funds already held by schools for vital capital projects would have made matters worse, but were abandoned last week following a campaign by Lib Dem MPs.

Commenting, Julia Goldsworthy MP said:

“Consecutive Labour and Conservative Governments have used funding formulas that have left schools in Cornwall shortchanged – but it’s shocking news that the Government actually plans to increase the gap.

“School in rural areas actually face higher costs and greater challenges in providing education services – something that has clearly not been recognised in this funding settlement. It’s time pupils in Cornwall got the fair deal they deserve.

Matthew Taylor MP added:

“The Conservative Party first introduced these funding formulas that leave Cornish Children’s education less well funded than the rest of the UK. Labour should be putting that right if they genuinely believe in fairness and a high quality education for every child. Instead they are making Cornish Schools funding fall even further behind. Why do the Conservatives and Labour believe Cornish children deserve less for their education? The Lib Dem team will be fighting this all the way.”