Every month John Penrose MP will be asking for your views on an issue of local interest in the constituency.

If you would like to let John know your views on other issues, please feel free to fill in his E-Survey.

Schools Lose Out in Postcode Lottery

North Somerset’s school pupils are some of the worst funded in the country. Another school year will start in September. Our local North Somerset schools will receive just £3,574 per pupil. That’s:

• £8 less per pupil than nearby Somerset
• £141 less per pupil than nearby Bath and North East Somerset
• £616 less per pupil than nearby Bristol
• A massive £2,454 less per pupil than the London Borough of Tower Hamlets

Are our children really worth £616 less than their friends in Bristol?

The Government has increased education funding recently. But North Somerset’s funding started from lower, and has gone up by less, than almost everywhere else in the country. As a result the funding gap has got wider rather than narrower.

The f40 group is a major cross-party campaign by the 40 worst funded education authorities in the country to persuade the government to put this right. Local MP John Penrose is supporting it in Parliament. North Somerset Council has signed up with the backing of local Councillors.

f40’s aim is simply to achieve fairer funding for all children. Wherever they live, all children with the same needs should have the same access to:

• teacher and teacher assistant time and attention
• the national curriculum and a wide range of other activities
• up to date resources and equipment
• extra help for special needs to ensure inclusion and personalised learning
• well-managed and serviced schools

Ideally every pupil would get a base entitlement to meet their base needs, plus extra for factors like deprivation or special needs.

Click here to add your name to the petition.

Click here to visit the f40 campaign website for more details.