WYRE Forest schools are missing out on a share of £10 million a year - enough for an extra teacher in each school - fair funding campaigners have claimed.

The parents' group has now issued a rallying cry to other mums and dads, urging them to bombard Westminster with letters demanding a "fairer" system of allocating school cash.

It is calling on them to write to the Government, asking it to consider an alternative funding formula drawn up by accountants in the 40 worst funded LEAs - the f40 group.

This would replace the existing complex cash formula, which has resulted in the ever-widening cash gap between Worcestershire and other counties. The group reports that each Worcestershire pupil attracts, on average, £3,440 - which is £680 more than in 1997 - but the difference between what pupils in the county receive and what the average pupil receives has mushroomed.

Eight years ago, the county was £224 below the national average. It is now £534 below par.

Although there have been millions more pumped into Worcestershire schools during the past eight years, far more money has been given to other LEAs.

Campaigners have calculated that the county's £10 million cash gap would pay for either 286 teachers - one for every school, 625 teaching assistants, two extra per school or 20,000 computers - 67 per school.

Parent campaigner, Jonathan Pearsall, said: "We are providing good education on the cheap and we are an award-winning LEA. Imagine what we could do with an extra £10 million.

Wyre Forest schools have been sent campaign packs this week. They contain a standard letter for parents to sign and return to the Prime Minister or Education Secretary.

The letter urges the Government to consider the alternative funding formula as part of its consultations on a Green Paper on funding for the next three years, which proposes to continue with the same method.

The consultation period ends on Thursday, May 5 and all letters must be received by Tuesday, May 3.

Copies can also be downloaded from www.f40.org.uk