NINE children went to Westminster to tell MPs about the ways in which cuts to the education budget affects them.

The students, aged between eight and 17, travelled from all over England to Westminster Hall for a Parliamentary briefing organised by parents’ campaign group Save Our Schools and other national parent groups.

Among them was eight-year-old Eliana Iketubosin, from East Brighton, who told her parents what she would like to include before they tidied it up into a speech.

She mentioned her school losing 11 members of staff, eight of whom were teaching assistants, because it “could no longer afford to pay them because of the cuts to their budget.”

When she and her classmates heard the news in assembly, Eliana said, they were so sad they “cried their eyes out.”

She added: “Right now the school cannot afford to pay for supply teachers.

“Should any teacher call in sick, we have to be moved to other classes where we are just given worksheets to keep us occupied for the whole day.

“Our teachers are overstretched.

“Some of my friends have had to leave the school and I miss them.”

Eliana spoke of unclean toilets resulting in some children waiting until they get back home to go to the bathroom.

She finished her speech by saying: “Please help us get a good education. Please stop the cuts and increase the budget so our education can make a full impact.”

Speaking to The Argus, Eliana said: “I felt confident about it because I had the chance to talk about school and the cuts and the impact they are having. I would like schools to be given more money for the equipment we need. There are a lot of problems with pupils’ behaviour and there aren’t enough staff.”

The children brought large-scale artworks and messages to the event, as well as hand-painted pebbles for MPs to keep on their desks as paperweights. Parents asked the MPs to sign a pledge to lobby hard for a properly funded education system.

Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, Peter Kyle, Labour MP for Hove and Portslade, and Lloyd Russell-Moyle, Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, were among the 44 MPs in attendance.

Ms Lucas said: “Our children are paying the price for empty Tory promises and cruel cuts.

“Parents and teachers are reaching the end of their tether.

“I’ll back Save Our Schools every step of the way.”