New data from the Stop School Cuts coalition finds that 7 in 10 schools in England have experienced cuts to their budgets since 2010, with this totalling   £1 million in 1,180 cases. Teaching unions and parents and governors groups have called the situation desperate. They are seeking action from the Government to restore school funding in order to deal with twin crises in special needs provision and crumbling buildings.

The Stop School Cuts website is run by education unions the  National Education Union, Association of School and College Leaders and National Association of Head Teachers, and supported by Parentkind and National Governance Association and has been monitoring school funding levels in England's schools since 2016.   

The new data finds that 74% (14,112) of maintained schools in England have seen real-terms cuts since 2010/11. This includes 71% of maintained primary schools and 90% of maintained secondary schools.  New data compiled by Stop School Cuts found that:

• Core funding for mainstream schools per pupil fell by a further £127 in 2024/25, down to £6,904. Schools received £558 less per pupil in 2024-25 compared to 2010-11 in real-terms.
• The number of schools facing cuts rose: 74%, a total of 14,112 schools saw cuts. 1,180 schools have seen cumulative cuts of over £1 million per school.
• Essex, Kent and Birmingham were the worst affected, with schools with a higher proportion of children eligible for Free School Meals disproportionately worst hit

A report published by Stop School Cuts today analysing the data argued that despite some welcome funding this year, the Government has not reversed a historic decline in spending as a proportion of GDP or dealt with the real costs schools face today. Costs from the twin crises caused by school building maintenance and special educational needs, along with rising staffing, food and energy costs have not been fully taken into account in the school funding settlement.

Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National Education Union, said: “The data is clear. Funding for English schools has hit rock bottom. The result is overstretched school staff, crumbling buildings and harm to our children’s education, with some of the largest class sizes in Europe. We are urging the Government to decisively deal with the school funding crisis once and for all and properly fund our children’s schooling.”

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “School leaders are doing their very best to ensure that every child has the support and education they need for the best start in life. But years of chronic under-funding has frustrated that goal and our members tell us they are still having to make very hard decisions in order to balance the books. They are also concerned that they are constantly being asked to do more with less – school leaders share the government’s ambition for inclusion, but are warning that system reform must be accompanied with sufficient funding. We would urge the Treasury to work closely with the Department for Education to match policy to funding, and ensure schools have the resources they need to deliver for every child.”

Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “Behind these stark statistics are thousands of schools and colleges which have had to increase class sizes and make cuts to the curriculum, pastoral support, and extracurricular provision. These are the real-world consequences of the chronic underfunding of the education system, and the reality is that we’re now facing the prospect of further cuts. The government’s plans to break down the barriers to opportunity for all children and young people must be underpinned by strategic investment in schools and colleges.”