TEACHERS, pupils and parents across Haringey should lobby the government for an extra �1,000 per pupil to correct the current funding deficit, leading community figures have urged. An imminent government consultation will review school fu

Charlotte Newton

TEACHERS, pupils and parents across Haringey should lobby the government for an extra �1,000 per pupil to correct the current funding deficit, leading community figures have urged.

An imminent government consultation will review school funding across the country and residents have been urged to speak out to up coffers for the borough.

Haringey schoolchildren currently receive �1,000 less each per year than their peers in neighbouring boroughs with a similar demographic, such as Islington and Hackney.

Haringey receives �4,987 per pupil, while Hackney receives �6,170; Camden, �6,161; and Islington �5,812.

Haringey schools would be �120million better off if they had received the same funding as Hackney from 2008 until 2011.

The anomaly has occurred because Haringey schools are expected to pay teachers an inner London salary yet they receive an outer London pupil allowance.

David Lammy MP for Totten-ham joined Lynne Featherstone MP, cabinet member for young people Cllr Lorna Reith, Tony Brockman of Haringey NUT, teachers and school governors for a discussion on how best to mobilise residents to respond to the consultation expected to start in the next few weeks.

Ms Featherstone said: "We need to get a huge and individually personal response to the consultation on the review options. I would like to see every Haringey child explain what they would do if they had an extra �1,000 each year."

Mr Brockman, who is also chairman of the Haringey Schools' Forum, said:

"It is extremely important that there is a massive, well argued response to the consultation because this exercise is unlikely to be repeated for many years.

"It would be a tragedy for Haringey children if we missed the boat this time."

The favoured option among the proposals would see Haringey schools receiving an extra �10 million more each year - an increase of 6.6 per cent.

Speaking after the meeting, David Lammy MP for Tottenham and the minister for higher education said: "I am pleased with how the meeting went. It showed how united we are as a community, across all political parties, in fighting for fair funding for future generations of our young people.

"We will continue to make our case to government, and I would like to pay tribute to all the members of the campaign for their hard work and determination to see us succeed. Going forward we must continue this campaign, keep making our case, and supporting local teachers, parents, and governors in our united pursuit of the fair funding that our pupils deserve."

A DCSF spokesman said the current funding arrangement would not be reviewed until March 2011, adding: "We shall be shortly publishing a consultation document on our review of the dedicated schools grant, including consulting on the best way to target funding to meet the needs of deprived pupils.