2018 annual report on education spending in England

Abstract

Public expenditure on education in the UK represents around £90 billion, or 4.3% of national income. Yet until last year, there was no comprehensive analysis of how that expenditure is targeted at different stages of education, how it has changed over time, the factors driving those changes, and the associated pressures and challenges. That gap was filled by the 2017 IFS report-funded by the Nuffield Foundation-Long-run comparisons of spending per pupil across different stages of education. The influence of that report on policy debates convinced both the Foundation and IFS of the value of producing this type of analysis on a regular basis. All those working in the education system, as well as the wider public, stand to benefit from a clear and independent assessment of trends in education spending over time and from better understanding the balance of public and private financial contributions at different stages. Such data are essential considerations in decision-making, particularly in the context of continued pressure on public finances, economic uncertainty, and rising pupil and student numbers. It is for these reasons that we have worked with IFS to instigate a series of three annual reports on education spending, of which this is the first. The report provides impartial analysis of spending across each stage of education, complementing the Foundation's goal to explore the impact on outcomes of educational participation across the systemfrom the early years, through school, and into further and higher education and vocational training. Each report will feature a more detailed focus on a particular stage of education, and this year that focus is on further education (including school sixth forms and adult education). The authors show that further education has been a big loser from education spending changes over the last 25 years. There have been significant cuts to spending per student since 2010, and further changes are on the horizon in terms of the regional devolution of responsibility for adult education, the tight timescale for the development of the new T levels, and the continued focus on apprenticeships for adult learners. The Nuffield Foundation has long been concerned about the particular challenges facing further education, and its relative neglect in both financial and policy terms. We are keen to improve the evidence base in this area and hope that this report will help to generate discussion, and ultimately interesting research proposals that we might consider funding. We extend our thanks to the IFS team, in particular to Luke Sibieta, who has led the analysis, and to his co-authors Chris Belfield and Christine Farquharson. We hope the publication of this series of reports will become an important part of the education calendar.

The role of the Virtual School in supporting improved educational outcomes for children in care

“…In England, school spending has risen substantially since 2009, but fallen per pupil (Belfield et al 2018). The education of children in care receives additional funding through a centrally allocated Pupil Premium Plus grant, allocated to the VSH for every child in care for at least one day during that academic year to be spent in accordance with their needs stated in their Personal Education Plan.…”

De-individualising the ‘NEET problem’: An ecological systems analysis

“…Like in many countries, the government’s austerity programme consisted of sustained and severe reduction in public spending that affected the education system as well, leading to major cutbacks to support services in many schools (France, 2016; Hutchinson et al, 2016; Ryan and Lőrinc, 2015). Further education and, more broadly, the 16 to 18 age group were the hardest hit by austerity measures (Belfield et al, 2018). Drawing on Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) conceptual framework, schools mediated the macro forces of policy and economics into the immediate ecologies of young people’s lives, shaping their educational experiences and transition from school to the next steps of their lives.…”

Using Data Mining in Educational Administration: A Case Study on Improving School Attendance

“…Pilot tests using the ETTP did show a significant improvement in attendance [2], however, most initiatives were time-intensive and required teachers and school administrators to spend a large amount of time working with parents on an ongoing basis. This is not practical in the UK, because teachers are already stretched, and school budgets are being squeezed [27]. Efforts to improve attendance in [1] were underpinned by offering both short-term and long-term rewards through local and national/state campaigns.…”