SCHOOLS in Worcestershire are facing a “tipping point” over funding in the next couple of years, a headteacher has warned.

Neil Morris, from Christopher Whitehead Language College, says he has suffered sleepless nights as a result of the impending financial turmoil.

A new report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies suggested schools could face a spending squeeze of 12 per cent in the next Parliament.

Figures from the economics body predict schools could approach crisis point by 2019-20 – but Mr Morris believes this may be even sooner for Worcestershire institutions.

This is down to a combination of falling real spending per pupil, increases in staff costs and growth in public sector earnings.

The funding issue has plagued education in Worcestershire for decades, with the county now the 145th best funded out of 151 local authorities nationwide.

Each pupil receives more than £1,000 less cash than counterparts in Birmingham, and almost £2,000 less per pupil than better funded councils.

Mr Morris said any more cuts, on the back of three decades of unfair funding, could be critical.

“There are 10 or 11 outstanding schools across Worcestershire that are really being hit and can’t sustain the current educational provision,” Mr Morris said.

Robin Walker is fantastic and he’s done his best and fought very hard for fairer funding.

“But it’s repugnant what they’ve done to Worcestershire’s schools, parents and children over the past 20 years.”

Mr Morris compared the county’s schools performances as being from the Premier League, despite Conference-level funding, and said the current situation is “akin to the NHS, where the five consultants quit together”.

“We’ve got extremely difficult decisions to balance the books,” he said.

“It’s not fair and it’s the worst it’s ever been.

“They can’t expect us to keep these standards up if we keep having to cut, cut, cut.

“We’re reaching a tipping point in the next few years.”

Worcester’s MP, Mr Walker, has fought hard as part of the F40 campaign to redress the imbalanc ein schools’ funding, but despite his best efforts, Worcestershire remains poorly funded compared to scores of other authorities.

Pershore High School’s headteacher Clive Corbett said: “We’re already cut back down to the bone, whereas other schools in other areas will be able to deal with it.

“National action is needed on fairer funding, because in total it would take about £0.5 billion a year to make up the difference between the lowest funded authorities and the best.

“We need to work together to make that happen.”