Commenting on figures showing the average gap in funding between Wales and England has widened over the past year to £604 per pupil, Paul Davies AM, Shadow Minister for Education, said:

"When the First Minister came to power, he promised to better fund Welsh schools to correct the underfunding by successive Labour-led Assembly Governments. Parents, teachers, governors and students will be disappointed that these figures show he has failed to keep his word.

"Young people in Wales should not have to put up with lower standards of education than those just across the border in England.

"Successive reports and international comparisons show Wales is at the bottom of the UK league table for reading, maths and science, while standards in many schools are simply not good enough, despite the dedication of our teachers.

"We need to ensure that money reaches the frontline rather than being eaten up by Local Education Authorities, which is why Welsh Conservatives would directly fund schools and give schools more control over their own affairs."