Council leaders have warned a ‘sudden and unexpected' government cut to schools funding could undermine improvements in tackling deprivation-linked low attainment levels.

Senior staff at the Local Government Association and London Councils are reportedly furious following the Department for Education (DfE)'s last-minute decision to axe £150m of funding nationally – including £28.3m in London – from the Schools Standard Fund for April, just days before it was due to be paid.