Report

School spending in England

Think tank: Institute for Fiscal Studies

Author(s): Luke Sibieta

September 2, 2021

This report from UK think tank the IFS looks at trends over time and future outlook of school spending in England.

Following large increases over the 2000s, school spending per pupil in England fell in real terms from about 2010 onwards. The present government sought to reverse this picture in 2019 by providing a three-year settlement for school spending increases up to 2022–23. This briefing note provides an update on school spending trends over time, covering the most recent sets of data, forecasts and policy announcements. School spending covers pupils in state-funded schools aged 5–16, as well as pupils aged 16–19 in school sixth forms. Where necessary, we also include pupils aged 3–4 in early years settings.