A headteacher is urging parents to write to ministers over the plight of Redditch schools being 'neglected and underfunded', writes Melina Cannon.

The call comes as Carol Buchanan, head of St Augustine's Catholic High School, Hunt End, and fellow heads, including Martin Allen, of St George's First School, and Peter Garner, of Walkwood Middle School, were today joining 200 colleagues to lobby the Government for fairer funding for education across Worcestershire.

Mrs Buchanan said it was hoped meeting the six county MPs would raise awareness of schools' funding shortfall, both within the Government and from a national perspective.

She said: "If we do not successfully argue our case, all schools in Worcestershire - and in particular St Augustine's - will remain underfunded for the duration of most students' remaining time there - they will not get another chance.

"A groundswell of parents' views and opinions will make a difference so I am urging them to write to Jacqui Smith and Education Secretary David Blunkett."

Mrs Buchanan added if St Augustine's was in Hertfordshire, the best funded shire county, the school's income would increase by £321 per student, a total of £254,000 extra per year.

"That is equivalent to 40 computers and eight extra teachers," she said.

"This is the kind of advantage Hertfordshire schools have enjoyed over Worcestershire schools for the last seven years or more.

"Even if we were to receive the average shire county funding, we would receive an additional £239,000 or more.

"The net results are that we are now one of the poorest funded authorities, if not the poorest, in the country. We remain neglected and underfunded.

"We are trying to achieve the Government's national targets and yet we are not being funded at national levels, so how can we make the same kind of progress the Government expects?" she asked.