IN the recent primary school league tables, Worcestershire is once again the worst performing of all the English shire counties.

The only LEAs doing worse are metropolitan and unitary authorities whose performances can be explained by socio-economic circumstances. This is a disgrace.

Unfortunately Worcestershire is not the "average LEA" that Clive Wilkinson the, county's head of quality, refers to (Evening News, December 5).

The average score for Worcestershire across English, maths and science was 224.3 (slightly less than last year). Average LEAs such as Staffordshire achieved 234.6. Herefordshire, which enjoys better funding, managed 243.5. Are children from Hereford really that much more capable than those in Worcester?

While welcoming the Government giving Worcestershire schools supposedly an extra £12.3m for next year, a rise of 6.1 per cent, Peter Luff was correct to point out that, when compared with other shire counties, where the average increase is 6.5 per cent, the funding gap has still widened.

It is the duty of all our elected representatives to continue to press for the increased funding our county needs.

The fact we are the worst performing shire county LEA needs to be spelled out both to Central Government and to those responsible for local education.

STEPHEN HODGSON,

Ronkswood Hill,

Worcester.