EDUCATION chiefs in Poole have written to government schools bosses for a third time trying to get more cash for the borough's under-funded schoolchildren.

The letter to schools standards minister David Miliband MP follows the revelation that schools have seen ten teaching staff made redundant and a further 89 lost through natural wastage because the funds aren't there to pay them.

Poole local education authority is already one of the worst funded LEAs in the country and local schools bosses fear the standard of pupils' work could now suffer.

John Nash, policy director for education in Poole, said: "It's the start of the school year when enthusiasm and morale should be high and yet children in Poole schools are starting the year with fewer teachers and fewer learning resources than other schools around the country.

"Teachers and children have worked hard to raise standards and this is evident in our best results ever - poor funding puts these improvements at risk."

In his letter to Mr Miliband, Cllr Tony Woodcock cabinet portfolio holder for learning, said: "I am writing to you now because I note that the DfES had an underspend again last year of £846m.

"Eight hundred million of this, I understand, has been re-allocated to the Standards Fund grant, which may or may not benefit Poole schools. I wonder if you intend to re-allocate any of the remaining £46m and whether Poole schools might benefit from some of this money to avoid a desperate situation this year and next."

In Bournemouth there have been no redundancies so far. Overall however there have been eight teaching posts lost due to natural wastage.