OFFICIALS from the Department for Education and Skills are visiting the county today to discuss schools funding issues.

It is a follow-on from November when six members of the Fair Funding for Gloucestershire Schools campaign met David Miliband, Minister for School Standards in London. They were accompanied by David Drew, MP for Stroud, Jo Davidson, director of education for Gloucestershire and Steve Savory, chairman of the Gloucestershire Primary Heads Association.

At the meeting the group presented a petition of 11,000 signatures supporting the case for fairer funding, talked through the problems caused by the current low level of funding and proposed a fairer way of calculating entitlement.

As a result of the meeting the Department for Education and Skills promised to send advisors to visit the county to understand funding issues and help with the implementation of workforce remodelling - a Government initiative to give teachers preparation and marking time during the school day.

A campaign spokeswoman said: "The principle of this is excellent but in the group's view it will add significantly to the cost pressures on schools."

Today's meeting is at Bishop's Cleeve Primary School. Attending from the Department for Education and Skills will be Max Galla and Phillip Moss. As well as members of the Fair Funding Capaign group there will be representatives from the education authority.

The spokeswoman said: "Max Galla is part of the Department for Education and Skills remodelling team and will be advising on the workforce remodelling issues. Philip Moss is more concerned with overall funding issues so we will have an opportunity to progress the needs-led funding debate too.

"At the meeting we will outline the situation, our actions and concerns and spend the bulk of time discussing how we move forward. We hope to have a constructive debate."