Specialist funding for sports schools and colleges across Shropshire is to be axed under the coalition’s spending cuts, it was revealed today.

Ring-fenced funding of around £129 per pupil per year – worth almost £130,000 for each of the specialist schools – will be lost and reverted to the central schools budget and redistributed among all secondary schools in the county

It came as the Government was today due to announce where the axe would fall in the defence budget, while thousands of union activists were due to join a rally in Westminster against spending cuts.

Department for Education documents leaked to Labour reveal some 400 schools will be affected across the country.

The move was greeted with disbelief and shock in Shropshire today.

Status

Schools affected in Shropshire include The Lakelands School, Sports and Language College in Ellesmere; Idsall School in Shifnal; Sundorne School and Sports College in Shrewsbury; and The Lacon Childe School in Cleobury Mortimer.

They will stay open, but will lose their sports status and cash.

Allan Gilhooley, head at Lacon Childe, said: “It is a shock. It is cut which will hit frontline education despite all the promises that cuts would not.”

“The cut is just a short-sighted economy,” added Mr Gilhooley.

“Having specialist status has enabled what was a good school to become an outstanding one. We have developed excellence across the curriculum.”

The Government’s plans also include cutting £125 million for sport in schools, tearing up Labour’s Sports Strategy for young people, and reducing the previous government’s commitment to give five hours per week of PE and sport to young people back to a basic two hours per week.

Government funding for charity Youth Sport Trust, which aims to engage youngsters in sport, will also be withdrawn.

Shadow sports minister Ian Austin said: “Whilst British athletes were in Delhi last week winning medals for Britain and inspiring youngsters to take part in sport, David Cameron’s coalition was drawing up plans to slash the support for the next generation of sporting stars.”

By Sunita Patel and Dave Morris