Dan Rogerson MP for North Cornwall

Cornwall’s Lib Dem MPs have welcomed the Government’s plans to give extra cash to local schools targeted at children from less well off backgrounds. The policy, known as the “pupil premium,” which will commence in September 2011, will help thousands of the worst off pupils in Cornwall.

The Government is consulting on using free school meal entitlement as the measure of deprivation for the scheme. Following a recent Parliamentary Question from Stephen Gilbert MP, it has emerged that across Cornwall more than 1 in 10 pupils are eligible for free school meals, making Cornwall a key beneficiary of the new proposals.

In total, significant extra investment will be made from outside of the current schools budget. This investment could be used to cut class sizes and recruit more teachers.

Commenting, Stephen Gilbert, MP for St Austell & Newquay, said:

“This is another great example of what the Liberal Democrats are doing in Government.  We’ve been campaigning for more money for disadvantaged children for years, and we’re now going to see real help for Cornwall.

“When I was at Fowey School, now in my constituency, I was entitled to free school meals and I saw, first hand, the need to target extra support at the most disadvantaged in our society.”

North Cornwall MP, and newly appointed Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Education Committee, Dan Rogerson added:

“The Liberal Democrats made clear during the election campaign that a Pupil Premium targeted at the most disadvantaged pupils was an absolute priority.

“Labour’s unequal education system left too many of our children falling behind.  This new investment is vital if we are to give all Cornish children the fair start in life that they deserve.”