This year schools will have their largest-ever budgets, and their biggest-ever financial surpluses.
Since 2010 the number of pupils in primary schools has risen by over 720,000 and in secondary schools by over 460,000 – and because the funds schools receive depend on the number of pupils and students, that has given schools much more money.
Normally schools spend 80% of their budgets on salaries, but since covid hit the number of teachers has declined. As a result many schools are short of teachers, and so have more money than ever to spend on products and services.
Meanwhile, around 20% of schools are now operating at over capacity, according to the government’s own figures. Additionally, another 250 are affected with problems as a result of RAAC concrete.
Furthermore, figures from the Department for Education reported that 40,000 teachers (9% of the total workforce) resigned last year. Unfortunately, the number of new teachers coming through from university or from overseas also declined, adding to the problem.
Indeed at a time of record numbers of teacher vacancies, 17% of primary schools and 23% of secondary schools are at or over capacity in terms of pupils and students, according to government figures.
Put all this together and we have a situation where schools have record incomes because of high numbers of pupils, and lower expenditure because of a shortage of both permanent and supply teachers.
Most schools funded through local authorities will start using their budgets for 2024/25 in the next few weeks, while most academies and private schools will be using up their 2023/24 budgets before their new financial year begins in September 2024.
To discuss how you can promote your products and services to schools during this unique financial period of higher funds available but less spent on salaries please email Stephen@schools.co.uk or call 01604 880 927.
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Tony Attwood