West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has urged local parents to speak up to make sure local schools get the best possible deal from £1.3 billion extra funding for schools. Worcestershire County Council is currently consulting on how the extra funds are allocated to each school and the MP has encouraged local parents and teachers to make sure the case is made for their school. Harriett met with a group of concerned parents last week to discuss this matter following a meeting with a headteacher’s delegation in Westminster. The vast majority of schools are currently operating in surplus and have already found budget savings to cover their national insurance and pension costs. The Institute for Fiscal Studies has confirmed that the £1.3 billion of extra money will allow schools to maintain their budgets in real terms per pupil from this year until 2020. Harriett commented: “I am concerned that campaign groups are using inaccurate and misleading facts to base their claims of budget cuts and I am keen to set the record straight and share the facts. “The good news is that no school will get less money as part of this new formula and the per pupil calculation means that as schools expand and take on more pupils, they will get more funding. “I think we can all agree that the extra money is good news and I am pleased to have delivered on my campaign pledge to secure the extra funding from the Government for Worcestershire schools. “It is now important that local people lobby their councillors to ensure that schools get the right funding deal and are able to do an even better job to give our children the best possible start.” Parents who want to see the data underpinning this increase in funding can visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-tables-for-schools-and-high-needs