Schools and colleges facing another round of belt tightening in this year’s spending review

New estimates by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) find that growth in mainstream school funding per pupil in England in 2025–26 (2.8% in cash terms) won’t be sufficient to cover the expected increase in school costs (3.6%). Growth in school costs reflects the full effects of the 5.5% rise in teacher pay from September 2024, and the recommended pay offer of 2.8% for September 2025.