EDUCATION secretary David Blunkett met head teachers at the Houses of Parliament yesterday (Wednesday) and promised to look into Worcestershire's school funding.

The response followed one of the most impressive delegations of headteachers ever, said local MPs who greeted them. Coaches from all over Worcestershire carrying nearly 200 heads converged on Westminster at about noon, to fight for fairer funding for their schools.

Headteacher of Bengeworth First School, Mr David Brahms said: "It was a very worthwhile, positive meeting.

"We lobbied many MPs and the Conservative shadow education secretary who were all supportive.

"A few head teachers managed to speak to Mr Blunkett who said that he was going to do something for us."

Currently the average Worcestershire primary school of 500 is funded at £121,000 less than the national average, and an average secondary school of 1,000 is funded £321,000 less than the national average.

Per student this means each child is being allocated about £242 less in a primary school and £302 in a secondary school.

Successive governments, headteachers say, have failed to address the discrimination in the Standard Spending Assessment formula currently used to work out budgets.

Headteacher of Prince Henry's High School, Bernard Roberts said: "We are extremely exasperated and frustrated.

"My school would be £360,000 a year better off if we had equal core funding.

"We would have many more computers to keep pace with demand.

"We would be ahead of the game instead of trying to find out where the next computer is coming from."

Steering committee member Charlie Lupton, head of The Littletons First School said: "We have received more money from this government, but so has every other school which still leaves us at the bottom of the league.

"The extra money to my school would mean a specialised teacher for children with learning difficulties, a computer suite, full time class room assistant and 1,000 more books."

Sue Hughes, head of St Barnabas First and Middle School at Drakes Broughton said: "Our school would be £89,000 a year better off - I would be able to have a computer room and a music room and another member of staff."