MIDDLESBROUGH’S schools could be better off to the tune of more than £1 million – and parents hold the key.

They won’t have to face a grilling by telly quizmaster Chris Tarrant – a simple bit of form filling could hold the key to the cash windfall.

The Pupil Premium is cash provided by the government to help schools in areas with widespread deprivation.

In Middlesbrough around 6,000 youngsters – in primary, secondary and special schools – claim for Free School Meals and this is the measure the Government uses to trigger the £430 per pupil funding which goes straight to the schools for them to use to improve the education for all the children.

But it is believed up to a further 3,000 pupils qualify for Free School Meals but are not registering – meaning the town is missing out on a possible £1.1 million which could be used to boost learning and improve schools.

Middlesbrough Council today launches a campaign under the slogan ‘Don’t Bin It – There Could Be Money In It!’ to urge parents to fill in the forms if they think they qualify.

Every school age child will be sent a letter advising them of the scheme and asking for information to establish their entitlement – but the deadline for this year is January 20.

Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallon urged parents to fill in the paperwork, regardless of whether or not they thought they qualified.

Mr Mallon said: “I launched the Mayor’s Youth Agenda two years ago because I wanted people to know how much I value this town’s young people.

“I’ll never tire of telling people – they are Middlesbrough’s future, its only future.

“That’s why we need to give them the best possible start in life, and a huge part of that is the time they spend in school.

“It’s no secret that we have some of the most deprived wards in the country, and the cuts being imposed on us by the Coalition Government aren’t making those problems any easier to tackle.

“But we can ill afford to pass up the money that is still on offer, and £1 million would go a long way to making some of the great schools we already have even better still.

“So I’d urge any parent or guardian to fill in the form even if they’re not sure about it – there’s no shame in it, and they could be making a very important contribution to the future prosperity not only of their children, but of the town as a whole.”