Schools across the UK face closure as the country's falling birth rate hits pupil numbers, report warns

7 months ago 20

By Eleanor Harding

Published: 18:59 EDT, 10 April 2024 | Updated: 18:59 EDT, 10 April 2024

Schools crossed the state could beryllium forced to adjacent arsenic a falling commencement complaint lowers pupil numbers, warns a report.

They basal to collectively suffer much than £1billion successful backing by 2030 due to the fact that they cannot capable their places, according to the Education Policy Institute, a deliberation tank.

The EPI says it volition pb to heads taking 'cost-cutting measures' and mergers and closures. This volition impact superior schools astatine first, but yet secondary schools too.

The commencement complaint is declining contempt the information that the population, mostly arsenic a effect of immigration, is continuing to grow. 

The informing from the EPI comes aft a Daily Mail probe recovered hundreds of schools whitethorn adjacent successful the adjacent six years, with dozens already astatine risk.

Schools basal to collectively suffer much than £1billion successful backing by 2030 due to the fact that they are struggling to capable their places, a study has warned (Stock Image)

Pupil numbers are projected to autumn the astir successful London and the North East, according to the Education Policy Institute (Stock Image)

The colonisation of superior schoolhouse children is expected to driblet by much than fractional a cardinal by 2030, the equivalent of 17,000 classes oregon 1,800 schools. This is owed to the extremity of the babe roar of the aboriginal portion of this century.

Pupil numbers are projected to autumn the astir successful London and the North East, according to the EPI. Robbie Cruikshanks, researcher astatine the EPI, said: 'The standard of alteration projected successful the pupil colonisation presents large argumentation challenges.

'Most schoolhouse backing is allocated connected a per-pupil basis. As a result, falling pupil numbers tin mean little budgets for schools, whilst not lowering costs successful the aforesaid way, fixed these are mostly fixed.'

Researchers utilized information from pupil projections and the EPI's ain backing model. Under a script wherever schools person a 0.5 per cent existent presumption summation successful per-child backing each year, wide spending would autumn to £41.6billion by 2029/30, down from a highest of £42.7billion successful 2024/25.

School leaders' union, the NAHT, urged the Government to instrumentality a 'long-term view' and not adjacent tiny schools that whitethorn 1 time beryllium needed again.

A Department for Education spokesperson said the figures were speculative and added: 'It is for section authorities and academy trusts to equilibrium the proviso and request of schoolhouse places.'

Article From: www.dailymail.co.uk
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