A LIB Dem education spokesman has used a trip to York to call for fairer school funding for the city.

Lord Storey, a former headteacher and the party’s education spokesman in the House of Lords, visited Hempland primary school last Friday, to hear from the headteacher and staff about the Caddell Centre, which specialises in teaching primary school-aged deaf children.

He said: “It was great to meet the fantastic staff at Hempland primary school and to hear about the work at the Caddell Centre to give deaf children a better experience at school. The centre shows that we can improve outcomes for our children through schools and local authorities working hand in hand.”

The Caddall Centre was commissioned by City of York Council and is run by the York Specialist Teaching Team to give deaf children in York better access to specialist teaching.

Lord Storey also spoke of fears over changes to funding systems he said will leave schools in York £4.2 million poorer in real terms by 2020.

He said: “Schools need to be properly funded to be able to continue to develop innovative and effective projects in the future. The government should realise that funding cuts are putting budgets under huge pressure and abandon pet projects like grammar schools. We need a fairer funding deal for schools in York and across the country.”

He said figures show the cuts will hit both primary and secondary schools, with Tang Hall primary set to lose £555 per pupil and Manor CE Academy £461 per pupil.

City of York councillor Ashley Mason, Education spokesperson for the York Lib Dems, said: “York doesn’t need a new set of grammar schools but it does need the government to deliver a fair funding deal for existing schools and pupils.

“Another lengthy and expensive reorganisation of the education system is the last thing our schools need.”