Since 2019, a £6 billion increase in school spending has taken real-terms spending per pupil back to 2010 levels. But rapid rises in staff, energy and food costs leave the purchasing power of school budgets about 4% lower than in 2010. [2/8]

With an expected 5% drop in pupil numbers up to 2028, an incoming government could cut total school spending by £3.5 billion (6%) by maintaining spending per pupil in real terms. But since many school costs are fixed in the short run, this is easier said than done. [3/8]

An incoming government could choose to keep the schools budget frozen in real terms. This would allow for real-terms growth of 1.5% per year in spending per pupil, somewhat below the long-run average of 2% per year. [4/8]

The number of pupils with severe special educational needs has risen by over 60% since 2015. This has driven a £3.5-billion increase in the high-needs budget, taking up nearly half of the £7.6-billion rise in school spending since 2015. [5/8]

Average teacher pay is 6% lower in real terms than in 2010, and about the same level in real terms as in 2001. Meanwhile, earnings across the economy are 6% higher than in 2010. This may help explain some of the teacher recruitment and retention problems. [6/8]

Spending on school buildings is about 25% lower than in the mid-2000s. This is about 40% below what the government thinks is needed to ensure school buildings are in a good state of repair. [7/8]

Cutting school spending in response to falling pupil numbers “would likely require workforce reductions and, perhaps, school closures.” "Policymakers are caught between a rock and a hard place." - @lukesibieta Read the full report here: ifs.org.uk/publications/s… [8/8]

Take a moment, and remember you don't need to face this at 6am tomorrow, but they did... on the longest day #dday80 #dday #rememberandhonor

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Today on #ThankATeacherDay Thank you for: Teaching those tough lessons, those extra duties, those parents evenings when you were too tired to think, the brilliant lesson no one saw, the countless after hours interventions, exhausted but powering on, always making a difference.

I am honoured to have been asked to serve as Secretary of State for Education. We pledged change and we will deliver the most crucial changes of all: High and rising standards More opportunity The best life chances for all children That work starts now.

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⚠️ The most vulnerable children in society are being left hungry and schools are missing out on vital funding. Myles Bremner of FixOurFood offered a simple solution for Department for Education and Department for Work and Pensions on BBC Breakfast 👇 #FreeSchoolMeals #NourishingtheNation

Thank you to the extraordinary Elaine Dunkley who has developed this story with input from Chance UK. Her commitment and passion for children’s and young peoples issues means she gets interviews like this from one of our mentees. Really proud… bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0…

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🚨In an exclusive interview Ed Secretary Bridget Phillipson told Elaine Dunkley more money without reform ‘isn’t the answer’ for #SEND as £740m is allocated for making mainstream schools in 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 more inclusive for pupils with SEND bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

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'I think that is utterly shameful' On #BBCBreakfast Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson condemned an attempt by the Conservatives to amend the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill to establish a "national statutory inquiry into historical child sexual exploitation, focused

Teachers tell us this every week as they do their best to help children struggling with the misery of poverty. The forthcoming Child Poverty Strategy must be ambitious to deliver real change & opportunity. Thanks for great reporting @BBCElaine. bbc.com/news/articles/…

Almost one million young people were not in work, education or training by December 2024 - a rise of 100,000 in a single year. @BBCElaine's reporting highlights some of the vital community organisations supporting young people in this position. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…