Commenting upon the latest WAG statistical data that shows a funding gap between education provision for school pupils in England against sums received for pupils in Wales, NUT Cymru Secretary David Evans said:

"The fact that schools in England receive an average £496 more per pupil than those in Welsh schools comes as no surprise to us. This is an issue that we raised with the Education Minister Jane Hutt last summer when preparatory research work on education funding in Wales undertaken by the NUT revealed a gap.

"Little has been done to redress the balance and education in Wales continues to suffer as a result. This week we received an Estyn report that generally praised the teaching within our schools but did criticise areas such as the provision of Welsh as a second language. Our schools are performing wonders with the resources that they have and it does not take a genius to conclude that the results would improve immeasurably if they only had the opportunity to compete on an equal footing in terms of finance with schools across the border.

"We have had successes in some areas, notably the increased funding for the Foundation Phase. But that was only after WAG agreed to listen to our concerns. Wales should not be the poor relations. Schools across our Authorities are bracing themselves and tightening their already taught belts as budgets are revealed. Available funds seem to be cut whenever a local council deems fit. It is simply not good enough. We are losing the opportunity to invest properly in our future and that is a situation that is unsustainable."

Note for Editors: Research on education funding in Wales is currently being undertaken by John Atkins on behalf of NUT Cymru. His findings are due to be published by the end of this term following extensive enquiry of LEA's, schools and WAG.