THE MP for Eddisbury has met with the Secretary of State for Education Damian Hinds to discuss pressures on schools in Cheshire.

Antoinette Sandbach was joined by fellow Conservative MPs David Rutley and Esther McVey, as well as a number of primary and secondary school heads from across the region, to discuss progress in school results and the ongoing financial pressures facing Cheshire schools, including the continuing funding gap between urban and rural schools.

Ms Sandbach believes that while some progress has been made, but more has to be done.

She said: “While I welcome the improvements in funding to date, I have been clear there still remains much to do, particularly in terms of the substantial imbalances in how much Cheshire schools receive compared to other parts of the country.

“I was pleased to have the opportunity to once again make the case for additional funding, supported by headteachers from the constituency, and welcome the Secretary of State’s determination to secure additional funding in the upcoming spending review – a bid I will be loudly supporting.”

In 2018/19 and 2019/20, total funding will rise by £10.7 million in Cheshire West and Chester, which is a 5.5 per cent increase compared to 2017/18 and by £10.4 million in Cheshire East, an increase of 5.2 per cent compared to 2017/18.

Under the National Funding Formula, Cheshire West and Chester is allocated £4,009 per primary pupil and £5,034 per secondary pupil.

In Cheshire East, the figures are £3,863 per primary school and £4,931 per secondary pupil. By comparison, the national average is £4,155 per primary pupil and £5,403 per secondary pupil.

Whilst the vast majority of Eddisbury primary and secondary schools are rated good or outstanding by Ofsted, they receive on average £1,758 less per pupil than schools in inner London.

Ms Sandbach's meeting with the Education Secretary follows her recent meeting with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Liz Truss, where she again pressed the case for increased school funding from the treasury ahead of the forthcoming spending review.