A MALVERN secondary school headteacher has warned parents he could be asking them to donate money to help fight a legal battle with the Government.

Peter Buchanan, headteacher at Dyson Perrins CE High School, last week sent a letter home to parents saying that 25p per pupil might be asked for, should it be needed to take the Government to court over education funding.

In the letter, Mr Buchanan said: "Dyson Perrins is funded over £300 per child less than the national average.

"That is more than £280,000 difference between the national average and ourselves, equivalent to nine additional teachers and a doubling of what we spend on equipment every single year."

Worcestershire's headteachers have banded together in a forum to put pressure on the Government.

It has already raised £3,500 through personal donations from headteachers and governors to hire lawyers to look into the possibility of challenging the Government in court.

Although they have not yet taken similar steps to warn parents of the need for cash, headteachers of nearby schools voiced support for Mr Buchanan's stand.

Alan Johnston, head of Hanley Castle High School, and David Fawbert, head of The Chase, both said they and their governors had put their hands in their pockets to help raise the £3,500.

But more cash will be needed to fund any legal challenge, should lawyers report back that it would stand a chance of being successful.

"No-one has been able to give a us a satisfactory explanation of why Worcestershire is worse off than the other counties, beside the fact that that is the way it has always been," said Mr Buchanan.

The decision to investigate the viability of legal action was given unanimous support at a meeting of the headteachers' forum at County Hall on Friday night (December 14).