AN attempt to introduce fairer funding for schools across the country could mean Bradford loses out on £175 per pupil in the coming years.

Wednesday's Autumn statement is expected to include details of a new national funding formula for schools, with consultations on the plans starting early next year.

A group of MPs, called the F40 campaign, has been pushing for changes to school funding for several years. The move could see money diverted from urban areas like Bradford to more rural, and traditionally, less well funded areas.

The councillor in charge of education on Bradford Council has called the changes "an attack on the life chances" of the district's young people.

According to Bradford Council’s Schools Finance Manager, local schools receive, on average, £3,892 per primary pupil and £5,637 per secondary pupil, while nationally the average is £2,326 per primary pupil and £2,458 per secondary pupil.

Figures based on the model proposed by the F40 group show each Bradford school would lose around £175 per pupil under the changes.

Bradford East Labour MP Imran Hussain plans to contact the Secretary of State for Education, Nicky Morgan, to argue that Bradford be protected from the changes.

He said: "It is clear to me, the council and teachers in Bradford that any changes to the funding formula that would see the city’s schools lose much needed funding would worsen Bradford’s education crisis, and to press forward with changes to the formula would be an attack on Bradford’s education system that we have not seen since the days when Michael Gove was in office as Education Secretary.

"Considering the imminent opening of the consultation process, I have urgently requested to meet with the Education Secretary to explain to her just how detrimental changes would be to Bradford.

"It is however vital that if changes do go ahead, then Bradford’s education system and schools with their high numbers of pupils with additional needs and from deprived backgrounds, are protected to ensure that the work that has been done by the council is not reversed by short-sighted Government decisions."

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, the executive member for Education at Bradford Council, said: “From all the calculations I've seen, the new formula would be anything but fair for places like Bradford. We have one of the fastest growing youth populations in the country and on top of that we have a high number of children who are accommodated in mainstream education with additional needs.

"I would interpret any move by Government to decimate their funding at this time to be a direct attack on the life chances of Bradford children."