SCHOOLS across Blackburn with Darwen are set to lose out under a new funding formula proposed by the government.

Education secretary Justine Greening announced details of a second consultation in a bid to make the system fairer and ensure pupils are funded based on need rather than postcode.

However Blackburn with Darwen is one of 50 council areas to see cuts with council bosses warning some schools are already struggling to make ends meet.

Schools in Lancashire are set to gain but it still might not be enough to cover costs, unions warn.

Figures show Blackburn with Darwen schools will see a cut of 0.7 per cent or £927,126.

Cllr Dave Harling, executive member for schools, said: “I am appalled that Blackburn schools are losing more than £900,000 when we are clearly an area that suffers deprivation.

“While our schools have done quite well there is still a fair amount of work to do.

“I know some are struggling financially and this change in funding will not help them.

“It is typical of the government to give us a raw deal – a northern deprived area. It is nasty and vindictive.

“Schools are struggling to make ends meet and need to balance the budget.

“They will end up with fewer staff who are less able to help kids. Some will be specialist help and some will be classroom support.

“The government said education is a priority. They have got a fine way of showing it.”

Schools in Lancashire will see an increase of 0.6 per cent – £4,863,278.

Cllr Matthew Tomlinson, cabinet member for schools, said: “We are in for a tiny increase overall. At this stage until we get figures for individual schools it is difficult to assess the impact.

“Clearly the biggest cost is salaries of teachers and headteachers. If salaries go up one or two per cent but we get an increase of 0.6 per cent it will put pressure of the rest of the schools’ budget.”

Simon Jones, Lancashire representative for the National Union of Teachers, said the proposed changes do not begin to address the key issue for schools ‘which is the Government’s imposition of the biggest real terms cuts in a generation’.

He said: “Funding cannot be ‘fair’ if it is not sufficient.” Even those schools gaining under the new system are likely to see those gains more than offset by the real cuts to school funding overall.”

Final decisions will be made before summer.