Pupils in Dundee are being left behind because cuts to primary education, according to a councillor.
New figures show that, in recent years, spending on primary school children has declined by £353 per pupil a figure that could equate to a £200,000-plus drop in some schools.
Labour education spokesman Laurie Bidwell said believes it could be mean some pupils are left behind.
The controversial numbers are part of a generally positive annual review of the city council’s education department.
Mr Bidwell said: “If you take Forthill Primary, for instance, the £350 per pupil cut in spending (between 2010/11 and 2012/13) would leave the school around £240,000 worse off.
“That is a staggering amount of money. It certainly demonstrates the cumulative impact of cuts, given it is the equivalent of around four full-time members of staff.”
The report also shows that, while most key indicators are getting better, the gap in attainment for those living in the 15% most deprived areas in Dundee is growing.
The report shows that, in 2012/13, the gap was 6.1% but that rose to almost 10% in 2013/14.
SNP education convener Stewart Hunter said he understood Mr Bidwell’s point of view but the reality was quite different.
He told The Courier: “This report shows that…what you are seeing is an education system working efficiently and effectively.
“We have been working hard to implement changes without affecting front-line staff and I think that is reflected in the key points of this report.
“For instance, if you look at where we were five years ago on the percentage of school-leavers entering positive destinations compared to now, the distance is stark.
“We used to be among the three or four worst councils in Scotland but now we are above the national average.”