GRAMMAR schools and those serving the most affluent areas would gain the most out of Boris Johnson’s pledge to “level up” education funding by £4.6 billion, new research has found.

A new Education Policy Institute (EPI) report finds that “almost all” schools serving the most disadvantaged communities will miss out on extra funds.

But primary schools with the least disadvantaged pupils — with less than 5 per cent eligible for free school meals — would receive an average increase of £271 per student.

The vast majority of England’s grammar schools — 151 of 163 — would benefit under the proposal, with an average increase in school budgets of over £130,000.

The average non-disadvantaged pupil stands to gain £116 extra a year. The sum is more than double the £56 the average pupil eligible for free school meals would benefit from.

Prime Minister Mr Johnson has promised that the “historically underfunded” would see more cash in their coffers by increasing the minimum per pupil funding for primary schools from £3,500 to £4,000, and for secondary schools from £4,800 to £5,000.

But the EPI found that the pledge would cost more than double what Mr Johnson said.

EPI deputy head of research Jon Andrews said: “The Prime Minister’s drive to level up school funding implies that funding should be equal despite the fact that children’s circumstances and opportunities are anything but.”

Labour’s shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said: “Schools across England have been hit by years of Tory cuts and need investment to give every child the best possible start in life, not just a lucky few. The last prime minister failed to end austerity and it’s clear the new one won’t do any better.”

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We will be announcing more details in due course and, until then, any assumptions are purely speculative.”