England’s school population is set to shrink by almost a million children over the next 10 years, according to the government’s latest data, raising the prospect of surplus places and school closures in some areas of the country in the years ahead.
Department for Education figures reveal that predicted pupil numbers, already in marked decline according to earlier modelling, have had to be revised down further in line with projections of fewer births than expected.
The data, published on Thursday, anticipates a 12% decline in pupil numbers over the next 10 years, with the entire school population expected to fall from its current level of 7,859,000 this year to 6,915,000 by 2032.
