Parents are bringing in stationery, glue sticks, exercise books and boxes of tissues for their children

State schools are asking parents to donate hundreds of pounds a year to pay for salaries, buy textbooks and equipment and repair leaking buildings, a Times investigation has revealed.

Grammars, comprehensives and primaries are increasingly relying on families to pay for essentials and in one case have asked for up to £1,200 per child each year. Others do not specify amounts but are receiving £100,000 a year, some using campaigns that allow donors to choose what to buy.

School funding was debated in parliament yesterday after a petition on budget cuts, started by head teachers, garnered more than 100,000 signatures. Growing numbers of schools are adopting a four and a half day week to save money, with one saying it would charge parents for their