JEREMY Corbyn has vowed to tackle the “chronic” problem in education funding during a visit to York.

The Labour leader set out his plans at Clifton Green Primary School yesterday – a day after Prime Minister Theresa May addressed supporters in the city.

He spoke to parents and teachers and posed for photos with children before outlining plans to ensure schools get the cash they need.

Labour’s plans for a national education service would see class sizes for five-to-seven year-olds kept below 30, while almost £5 billion extra would be pumped into the English school system by 2022 and free meals for all primary pupils.

The pledge would be funded from £20 billion it says will be raised by increasing corporation tax from 19 per cent to 26 per cent by 2021/22.

Speaking earlier in Leeds, he said firms with profits below £300,000 would see their share of corporation tax rise from 19 per cent to 21 per cent under Labour’s plans.

“Our businesses both large and small will prosper on the back of education and skills and training finally being given serious attention by a very serious government.

“So it’s only fair that businesses should be asked to contribute to the plan by financing the spending we are setting out today.”

Mr Corbyn said he is keen to move away from such models used at York’s Water Lane school, which sells supermarket waste at the end of the school day to raise money.

“Most schools around the country have got a chronic problem where the headteachers are put in an awful situation where they are deciding which teachers to get rid of, in secondary schools they are thinking of which subjects to cut or which special needs teachers go.

He added: “I was talking to the special needs co-ordinator at the school. She’s an absolutely brilliant women and so is what she’s doing - inclusive education and supporting children with special needs.

“That’s what you need in every school, so we are determined to make sure there are no more super size classes, that there will be proper funding for schools and all children in primary schools get a good, decent, free school meal at the middle of the day which they will eat together and they will remember that sense of inclusion with the rest of the class.”

Earlier Labour gave its clearest indication it will promise to scrap or significantly reform university tuition fees. Mr Corbyn revealed he is carrying “some stuff in my pocket” on university tuition fees but said the plans would be revealed in the party’s manifesto next week.

Other education pledges include restoring the education maintenance allowance for college students which was worth £30 a week when scrapped in 2010, restoring maintenance grants for university students and scrapping fees on courses for adult learners looking to improve skills.