'Urgent action' is needed to address school funding as those in the North lose out on hundreds of pounds per pupil compared to London, a report has found.
Funding for Northern schools has lagged behind the rest of the UK over the past decade while regional inequalities have risen since the pandemic, the report also said.
The education and health inequity report found children in the North of England are more likely to miss school than their Southern counterparts, often due to illness.
The report, prepared for the Child of the North All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), says performance in schools is poorer in the North too.
'The Child of the North: Addressing Education and Health Inequity' research, found children born into the least wealthy fifth of families in the UK are almost 13 times more likely to experience poor health and educational outcomes by the age of 17.
This has an impact on public services in later years, as the long-term consequences of poor education can lead to greater pressure on the NHS and the criminal justice system.
The Child of the North APPG members and report authors have called for 'urgent action' to be taken to address the issues identified, calling for an overhaul of the current school funding formula.
