If you took a list of the top 20 places in England where schools have the most funding, 18 of them would be in London.

And if you took another list, of the top 20 places with the highest level of social mobility, 17 of them would also be in London.

Is that a coincidence?

The funding gap between West Somerset and Westminster, for an individual school, is the equivalent of dozens of extra teaching staff, after-school clubs, university links, careers advice and support for pupils who are struggling. And these are exactly the kinds of added extras that could improve social mobility.

Head teachers in the Worth Less? campaign over school funding shortages say that if the government is serious about promoting social mobility in education, then it needs to look at how low funding seems to mirror low mobility.

West Somerset has the lowest place on the government's social mobility index - and is also one of the lowest-funded areas.

Read the full article on social mobility by Sean Coughlan at BBC