COUNCILLORS and teachers united for a day of action over claims Halesowen schools will lose £1.9 million in funding from their budgets by 2020.

The National Education Union (NEU) led the campaign in Halesowen on Saturday, with local teachers supporting their concerns at a stand in the town centre.

Concerns stem from figures published by website schoolcuts.org.uk, but the Department for Education (DfE) has slammed the data as “thoroughly misleading”.

Labour cllr for Belle Vale Ian Cooper, who was among those at the stall, said: “We were delighted to welcome the NEU to Halesowen on Saturday.

“The real terms cuts faced by our schools in Halesowen are avoidable and reflect very badly on the current government.

“These cuts have been voted for James Morris, MP for Halesowen and Rowley Regis, and frequently defended or even denied by Tory councillors.

“I would urge every parent to visit schoolcuts.org.uk to find out how their child’s school has been hit.”

The website has been set up by the National Union of Teachers (NUT), the National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) and education union ATL.

Figures are calculated by using funding allocations for 2015/16 as the baseline, and take into account per-pupil funding, the national funding formula, and the estimation for inflation.

According to the website, Newfield Park Primary School would lose £111,673 from their budget, The Earls High School would lose £324,355, Windsor High School £157,957, and Halesowen CofE Primary School £105,907.

But a DfE spokesman slammed the calculations.

She said: “The campaign’s calculations are thoroughly misleading, and ignore the fact that under our national funding formula, funding is based on the needs and characteristics of each individual school.

“We are investing an additional £1.3 billion in school funding, over and above existing plans, with core schools funding rising from almost £41 billion in 2017-18 to £43.5 billion in 2019-20.

“There are no cuts in funding. Every school will attract an increase in funding through the formula from this year, and in 2019-20 all secondary schools will attract at least £4,800 per pupil, and all primary schools will attract at least £3,500 per pupil.”

And MP James Morris added: "Yet again Cllr Ian  Cooper is attempting to scare parents into believing incorrect figures concerning their local schools. School budgets are being protected, and here in Halesowen & Rowley Regis we will see an average 2.3 per cent increase across our primary and secondary schools. Not a single school will have their budget cut.

"Rather than demonstrating a record of action for Halesowen, or a positive plan for it's future, Cllr Ian Cooper is attempting to cynically whip up fear amongst parents a week before the local elections for his own political gain. Thankfully, local parents aren't falling for it."