A HIGH-RANKING councillor has rung the alarm bell over Government funding for schools in Cumbria.

Cllr Sue Sanderson, the Cumbria County Council cabinet member for education, said funding continued to remain a headache for headteachers.

It follows a recent move by more than 30 schools in Carlisle who have jointly written to parents warning that they have lost £1.3 million – equivalent to £395 for every pupil.

Cllr Sanderson told a cross-party scrutiny panel of councillors: “Funding is a major, major issue and you won’t be surprised to hear that.

“It’s a national issue and is being pursued by every form of organisation involved in education.”

Teaching unions have complained that Government funding has not kept pace with inflation while budgets are being squeezed by rising numbers of pupils, more children with complex needs and escalating costs.

Cllr Sanderson said a focus for the county in the coming year was likely to be on how to provide education for those pupils who were excluded.

She said: “We still have the issue of children being excluded from school and we know that Ofsted is going to be looking at this going forward.

“It is an issue we are very conscious of and in Cumbria we are looking at how to provide alternative provision.

“We have written out to the schools and asked if anyone is interested in developing some alternative provision for excluded pupils, particularly looking at primary provision.”

Cllr Sanderson, a retired teacher from Ulverston, said it was important to nip the issue in the bud.

“Otherwise it is very difficult to turn children around at a late age in their learning and education,” she said.

Meanwhile, the county council’s £8.6 million project to create new school buildings for Sandside Lodge in Ulverston is “on track” after a sod-cutting ceremony last June, said Cllr Sanderson, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Cartmel.

The new development will provide modern teaching facilities for children with severe and profound learning needs from early years foundation, aged two, to year 14 or aged 19.

In addition to state-of-the-art teaching spaces, the new school will also have facilities including a sensory integration room, hydrotherapy pool and physiotherapy.

It is expected that the new school will open in September and replace the current school, which has been deemed no longer fit for purpose.