WORCESTERSHIRE'S education chiefs have said there is no cause for concern despite the county's schools running up debts of almost £1.2m last year.

Figures obtained by the Worcester News show dozens of county schools are failing to balance their books, with some losing hundreds of thousands of pounds a year.

In 2004/5, 14 primaries and 10 secondaries recorded a deficit, according to figures released by the Department For Education And Skills (see panel).

But Colin Weeden, the county council's head of policy of children's services, said this was because schools were allowed to manage their budgets over a period of time.

He said: "We don't know the reasons why these schools have overspent but it's well within our policy. What we would have concerns about is if they overspent the year

after and the year after that."

Coun Liz Eyre, in charge of the children and young people department, said the authority was putting in a team to support Elgar's head Tony James, who was doing a "good job in

a challenging environment".

They will deal with a range of issues including students' achievements and how it uses its budget, though Mr Weeden said it was not a problem.

Mrs Eyre said: "It's a difficult situation generally because 85 per cent of the funding follows pupils and nationally there are falling numbers. Every school in the county is looking hard at that issue and working to address the problem and we're supporting them in that."

Elgar head Tony James said its overspend reflected a low Government education grant for the county.

He added: "We're not loose in our spending, we're actually very controlled but we need to spend at a certain level to provide the best level of services."

The deficit figures, released under the Freedom of Information Act, total £1,186,167 across Worcestershire.

Worcester's MP Mike Foster said all the losses, made over the the financial year, were covered by the county's £14m schools reserves.

How much they're in the red

Primaries

Eckington CE £3,353

Far Forest Lea, Kidderminster £1,474

Upton Snodsbury CE £20,023

Wilden All Saints CE, Stourport £698

St Peter's CE First, Droitwich £6,766

St Mary's CE First, Kidderminster £20,993

St Clement's CE Primary, Worcester £467

St Mary's Catholic, Broadway 33,697

secondaries

Bewdley High and Sixth Form £2,937

Pershore High £29,005

Franche Middle, Kidderminster £106,601

Elgar Technology College, Worcester £73,616

(pictured left)

Hanley Castle High School £16,167