PARENTS are being urged to join a mass protest at the Houses of Parliament, calling for more money for cash-strapped Wyre Forest schools.

Leaders of the fair and equal funding campaign for all Worcestershire schools are hoping to take 500 parents to lobby MPs on Wednesday, October 22, in a bid to halt the growing cash crisis.

Schools throughout the county have faced years of under-spending, and Worc-estershire is languishing 33rd out of 34 shire counties for funding per pupil.

Wyre Forest campaign co-ordinator Sarah Beadsworth, a parent-governor at St John's CE First School, Kidderminster, blamed the Government's "iniquitous" funding formula for the fact that 49 Worcestershire schools were running deficit budgets this year.

"Around the county teaching posts are being axed, children from different year groups are being taught together because they can't afford enough teachers, and PTA funds are being used to buy essential equipment, like desks.

"Yet some schools would be almost £500,000 a year better off if they could apply for all the top-up grants available to schools in areas like Birmingham. The problem there is that the money goes to all the city's schools, not just those in need, which means even selective grammar schools qualify.

"Every year our headteachers sweat blood trying to make their budgets balance without sacrificing standards, but there comes a breaking point and some schools in the county have reached it already."

The campaign was launched by Evesham parent Helen Donovan earlier this year and her petition calling for fair and equal funding has so far attracted 4,580 signatures.

Mrs Beadsworth said: "Helen led a delegation to meet schools minister David Miliband at Whitehall in the summer, but the arguments appear to have fallen on deaf ears."

Coaches will leave County Hall, Worcester, at about 7.45am, but there is the possibility of a pick-up in Kidderminster if there are enough numbers. The cost will be £9 a head.

Anyone interested should ring Mrs Beadsworth on 01562 67705 or Mrs Donovan on 01386 49059 or e-mail: helen_donovan@talk21.com