WORCESTER'S MP says he is more "confident" than ever before that fairer school funding will be delivered after Education Secretary Nicky Morgan's visit.

Robin Walker believes the campaign over poorly funded schools has finally shifted from a "special interest issue" to one taken seriously by high-ranking ministers.

During Mrs Morgan's visit on Friday she insisted her Government to would deliver on its "clear manifesto commitment" by giving the worst-funded parts of the UK more education money.

Although she would not get into a deadline the pledge must be realised this parliament, and as the funding for 2016/17 has been finalised it gives ministers just a three-year window after that to deliver.

Mrs Morgan's local education authority is Leicestershire, which is rock bottom in terms of per-pupil funding meaning she would benefit herself from any changes.

The trip saw her visit New College Worcester, Christopher Whitehead Language College in St John's and The Hive for sit-down talks with university chiefs.

Mr Walker said: "It's gone from something which was once a peripheral, special interest issue, at least from the time I entered parliament to something which is now very central, which shows we're heading in the right direction.

"All the momentum seems to be around delivering on this, clearly there'll need to be a period of time in which to implement change but I'm as confident as I can be that we'll see those changes."

The day before Mrs Morgan's visit a debate took place in the Commons where education minister Sam Gyimah told MPs the Government was committed to reform.

Mr Walker added: "Sam said 'we see this (funding reform) as central to our view on fair education for all', which I think is quite significant coming from a minister."

Neil Morris, the headteacher at Christopher Whitehead Language College, said he got a lot out of the talks.

"Generally speaking I feel very positive about the meeting, she appeared to care, she appeared to be listening, she appeared to have a grasp of my school," he said.

"In my time I've written to every single education secretary to say 'come and see our wonderful school' - that's probably 12 or 13 of them and she's been the only one to come back to us on it."

Back in April the county did get an extra £6.7 million as part of a £390 million kitty handed to the worst-off local education authorities.

But the basic per-pupil support in Worcestershire is just £4,231 compared to £5,218 in Birmingham, a £987 drop, leaving it still among the lowest-funded parts of the country.

Despite that 90 per cent of county schools are graded either good or outstanding by Ofsted, the best in the Midlands.