Spending on pupils drops by eight per cent, says IFS

The amount spent per school pupil in England has dropped by eight per cent since 2009/10, research has found. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) research looked at total school spending per pupil between 2009/10 and 2017/18 and found there had been an eight per cent cut in real terms. While in 2009 the per-pupil spend was £6,380, by 2017 this had shrunk to £5,870. The IFS says a major factor is the 55 per cent reduction in the amount spent by councils per school pupil over the last eight years. There was also a 25 per cent cut in per sixth form pupil spend. Key areas of council spending on pupils include school transport and additional support for those with special educational needs and disabilities. Schools are also struggling to cope with increasing demand, with a 10 per rise in the pupil population in England since 2009/10. The IFS research also looked at per-pupil spend in Wales, where there has been a five per cent fall over the same period. The research notes that while pupil numbers have risen in England, in Wales they have remained static over the last eight years. Read more.