THE headteacher of a Hyndburn school praised as one of the most improved in Britain has accused the Government and Lancashire County Council of short-changing schools.

Frank Havard, headteacher of Hollins High School, Hollins Lane, Accrington, attacked Prime Minister Tony Blair's policies and called on Chancellor Gordon Brown to give more money to Lancashire's schools.

He claimed the Labour Party was using spin doctors to make it seem that schools were being given billions of pounds to boost their spending, when in real terms the money was only enough to keep budgets at a standstill.

Mr Havard said that the school would seek help from local businesses in a bid to boost the resources provided by the Government. The school has already set up links with several companies including Baxenden-based Holland's Pies.

Addressing parents at the school prizegiving last night, Mr Havard said: "The Government cannot continue to short-change our schools. When is the Government going to 'get real' about core funding? A 5.6 per cent increase for schools last year? Don't you believe it!

"In reality's Lancashire schools received just above a standstill budget. A lack of county financial reserves meant the so-called extra funding made no impact on our schools."

Mr Havard also criticised this year's standard spending assessment, which is the amount of money the Government allows each local council to spend. He said: "The injustice of the standard spending assessment hits Lancashire's resources hard. Come on, Gordon Brown, how about a little equality of opportunity for the North West?" "The fallacy of the £19billion for education over the next three years has been exposed as a manipulation of the truth. Let's cut through the spin and the political ping-pong and have a world-class education service."

Mr Havard also hit out at media coverage of school performances, which he claimed unfairly centred on failing schools and under-performing teachers. Mr Havard said: "It concerns me greatly that the Government fails to fully acknowledge the ever-increasing success of the education sector.

"The worst-case scenario for under-performing teachers is three per cent. Yes, it is three per cent too many, but do the other 97 per cent get support, praise and encouragement from the Government? Why not, Mr Blair? Can national politicians, or any other profession, demonstrate such a success rate?"

Earlier this year the school was named as one of the 41 most improved schools in Britain. Last night Mr Havard praised his pupils and staff for achieving the school's best-ever exam results, and complimented students on a number of sporting successes. He said the school had had its best-ever year but would use its resources wisely to try and do even better in future.

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