The IFS has produced a report stating that school funding in England has fallen by 8% in real terms since 201, at a faster rate than Wales, meaning that per pupil funding in the two countries is almost the same for the first time in years.
The IFS says that the cuts in England are driven by a combination of a greater fall in spending by local authorities and school sixth form spending, plus faster growth in pupil numbers.
As a result, in real terms, spending has fallen by 8% in England compared with Wales’ 5% so that the gap in spending has fallen from £300 per pupil to just £100. Even that gap in England is eroded by higher costs that some schools face, especially in London where there are higher teacher salaries.
The Department for Education says that by 2020 core school funding in England will raise to a record £43.5bn while the introduction of a new national funding formula will address disparities in the system and see rural areas, which are traditionally underfunded receive a boost.
