Bradford East MP David Ward has welcomed new help for disadvantaged schoolchildren.

From September, schools will be subject to greater scrutiny over how they use cash designed to help poorer pupils flourish.

The Government gives schools an extra £900 per eligible disadvantaged child. The money, called the ‘pupil premium’, is designed to be used by schools to close the attainment gap between poorer children and their peers.

The Department of Education has now appointed a National Pupil Premium Champion, John Dunford, to look into how schools are spending the cash.

Ofsted will also look into the performance and progress of children eligible for the pupil premium during their inspections.

Mr Ward welcomed the announcements, which he said would benefit 28,000 disadvantaged children in Bradford.

He said: “It is vital we support disadvantaged pupils in Bradford to fulfil their potential.

"The Lib Dems in Government introduced the pupil premium to give schools a funding boost to achieve that aim and I’m pleased that this will help 28,000 pupils in Bradford which is around £25m of extra support to schools in our city alone.

“This Government is investing billions into the future of its young people and its only right that schools are challenged in a positive way to ensure that this money is used in the most effective and productive manner.”