TIM Farron has joined the fight against cuts to the education budget.

The Liberal Democrat leader joined forces with the National Association of Head Teachers at a meeting to raise awareness.

Cumbrian schools face a £23m cut to their funding by 2019 as part of a £3bn cut across the country.

Mr Farron said: “The scale of cuts facing schools across Cumbria in the next few years is vast.

“These cuts are not just numbers in a spreadsheet in Whitehall, they will have a real impact on our children’s futures. These cuts will mean fewer teachers, fewer resources and larger class sizes.

“The government must stop its ideological obsession with cuts and instead choose to invest in education to give our children the best opportunities in life.

“I regularly visit local schools and see the excellent work that local teachers do, but this will be at risk if the government does not provide the funding that is needed.”

The cuts are the first to education spending since the 1990s and will affect 98 per cent of schools.

Russell Hobby, general secretary of the NAHT, said: “School budgets are being pushed beyond breaking point.

“The government's £3bn real terms cut to education funding must be reversed or we will see education and care suffer. Already heads are being forced to cut staff, cut the curriculum and cut specialist support.”

Dane Ghyll School in Barrow will see their budget reduced by £85,008 within the next two years, meaning a higher than average loss of £414 per pupil.

Headteacher Garry Schofield said: “It's probably been expected for some time, but whether it's acceptable is another matter.

“We've been told our funding is going to be cut by 11 per cent, and it will mean over the next three years a loss of jobs and cutbacks we can't afford for things like special needs.

“I'm retiring in six months so I feel sorry for whoever comes in next.”

Across the county, the cuts is expected to see a loss of 625 teachers.

Graham Frost, NAHT's Cumbria branch secretary, said: “Some schools are already having to consider reducing staffing due to financial constraints.

“This funding crisis comes at a time when the system expects schools to do even more for our children and our families as the capacity of local authorities is reduced.

“School leaders are not only under ever-increasing pressure to achieve strong outcomes in SATs tests and exams while maintaining a full and balanced curriculum, they are increasingly being called upon to engage in aspects of social work and mental health work to meet a complex range of additional needs.”

The cuts were also criticised by Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock, who said: “Furness schools are already struggling to close the persistent attainment gap that is holding back our students from reaching their full potential.

“Cuts on this scale will only widen this gap and will seriously damage the prospects for the next generation.

“The government must think again and recognise that when they cut the education budget, they are undermining the foundations of our future success.”