SCHOOLS in South East Cornwall are still facing significant cuts, say campaigners.

They say a lack of money has led to a reduction in staffing, equipment and curriculum activities.

Last summer, the Government announced a rethink of its funding formula, saying extra money would be given to all schools, with a further boost for rural schools, and additional cash for schools with high needs or those which had been the most underfunded.

But now the organisation School Cuts says that in real terms, most schools in Cornwall will not see any gains.

When the rate of inflation and other increased costs are factored in, says the organisation, some schools will have lost hundreds of pounds per pupil for the period between 2015 and 2020.

Kate Ewert, chair of the South East Cornwall Labour Party, said: ‘Headteachers across the constituency have told us schools are already suffering from lack of space and equipment, loss of teachers and teaching assistants, increased class sizes and cuts to extra-curricular activities and resources. It’s heartbreaking.’

The Labour Party branch says it plans to launch a new campaign, led by parents and teachers, calling on the Government to inject more money into the system.

Last month, Cornwall Council said schools in the county were ‘among the worst funded in the country’, and that this would have an impact on children’s life opportunities.

But South East Cornwall Conservative MP Sheryll Murray says education is a high priority as the Government ‘gets public spending back on a more balanced basis’ and that an extra £1.3bn is being ploughed into the UK’s schools in the coming year.

Mrs Murray said: ‘While more money is being made available, I am aware that education is an area for priority for spending as we work our way out of this period of limited receipts at the Treasury and get public spending again on a more balanced basis.

‘I have long argued that the rural nature of Cornwall means that we need more funding for our schools and I will continue to make this case loudly in Parliament.’