London pupils miss out on £42m levelling-up cash

London schools have missed out on a share of £42 million of “levelling-up” money which is being given to areas with high numbers of poor students.

An expert said it was “inconceivable” that no areas of London would receive the cash, aimed at boosting literacy, numeracy and attendance in schools.

A total of 24 areas, including Liverpool, Nottingham and Doncaster, will instead share the Local Needs Funding after being named as “priority education investment areas”.

Professor Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at the University of Buckingham, said: “Given its pockets of high deprivation, it is inconceivable that London should miss out entirely. It seems to have been overlooked, because London children tend do well in spite of difficult circumstances. But, in consequence, they may find money switched away to the disadvantaged who haven’t worked as hard.”

It comes as teaching union leaders refused to rule out further strikes today, after a new Government pay offer of a £1,000 extra payment this year and a 4.3 per cent rise for most staff next year. Unions have been calling for above- inflation pay rises, funded by extra money from the Government rather than from schools’ existing budgets.

Mary Bousted, NEU joint general secretary, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Our executive committee… decided it was really insulting.”

NEU members will vote on the offer with the results announced next week.