A CAMPAIGN group established to create a level playing field for school funding has warned "the future of millions of our children is at stake".

The Fair Pupil Funding Group has been formed in Worcestershire, which is one of the country's worst funded areas.

It issued a warning that schools are at a tipping point and facing an imminent financial crisis, with urgent changes needed by the Government.

The group is being run and funded by parents and community leaders and has called for reforms on how the Government allocates money to local authorities.

It said the current situation does not cater equally to pupils across the country, with some authorities – like this county – receiving less than neighbouring areas.

Out of 151 local authorities nationwide Worcestershire is the 146th worst funded, and each pupil gets more than £1,000 less cash than their counterparts in Birmingham.

Fizz Bewley, co-ordinator of the campaign, said: "The Government needs to introduce a national formula that will fund every area based on its actual pupil needs.

"There must be a fair and scaled approach to funding extra learning support for pupils irrespective of where they live.

"The f40 group, which represents the lowest funded 40 local authorities, has been pushing for this for decades, but the last Government only tinkered at the edges of the problem.

"Still central Government allocates money to local authorities for schools based on out-dated, historical criteria and this has created shocking underfunding of pupils in more than 50 areas across the country.

"Schools in these areas have only managed to survive through their thrift, resourcefulness and the charity of others.

"Deprived children in these areas have not received the extra funding that they need and would receive if they lived elsewhere in England.

"It has got to stop.

"Parents and community leaders are now pushing for urgent change because, with education cuts forecast, more than a third of schools, which are already underfunded, can no longer make do and mend.

"Quite simply, if nothing changes they face bankruptcy.

"The future of millions of our children is at stake."

The Fair Pupil Funding group has set up a website – fairpupilfunding.co.uk – a Facebook group and also an online petition, which will be sent to Secretary of State for Education Nicky Morgan.

Anyone wishing to sign can go to https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/fund-all-uk-pupils-fairly.