The leader of South Gloucestershire Council has labelled those who take a BBC documentary highlighting the pressures faced by schools at face value as ‘naive’.

Councillor Toby Savage was referring to BBC2s School, which showcased the funding problems faced by Thornbury’s Castle school, Marlwood in Alveston and Mangotsfield.

In a written statement to Wednesday’s full council meeting Cllr Savage said: “Funding is a significant challenge for schools and the programme demonstrates this, but to take this TV series completely at face value is naïve.

“When a production company has hundreds of hours of footage they are always likely to focus on the most controversial and provocative aspects that will earn them the most ratings.”

Labour’s Cllr Ian Boulton said the issues raised in the documentary had been verified by his constituents.

“I find it offensive you’re calling my residents naive. Please don’t dismiss anyone who says this is their experience,” he said.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Ian Blair had proposed a motion calling for the council to back the 58 headteachers who recently appealed for better funding for their primary schools.

The Conservative amendment noted that they spoke out but said they were in a minority out of 114 schools. It said South Gloucestershire had achieved one of the biggest boosts under the new national funding formula.

Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Claire Young said some parents were being told the best option to educate their children with special educational needs (SEN) was to home-school them.

Responding to the criticism, Cllr Savage said: “SEN is out of control. We don’t have the provision. We have to send them out of authority, miles away from where they live.

“That’s why we have a significant programme of investment to ensure we have additional places for our most vulnerable.

“It’s important to recognise the challenges but also the successes, rather than the constant negative narrative.

“I fear people have this narrative that education is poor in South Gloucestershire.