Scottish schools spending 'is highest per pupil in UK'

Extra funding to deal with the coronavirus pandemic boosted the average spend in Scotland

Scotland has the highest spending on schools per pupil of any UK nation, analysis has found.

Teacher pay rises and extra Covid funding reversed spending cuts during the past decade, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said.

Its research found spending per pupil in 2021-22 was estimated to be £7,600 per pupil - more than £800 higher than in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Spending between 2009-10 and 2014-15 fell by 7% in real terms.

It then increased by the same percentage over the following five years.

The biggest increase in the Scottish government's funding for schools was a 6% real terms rise in 2019-20, amounting to an additional £400 per pupil.

This was driven by a 7% increase of teacher pay scales and a further backdated 3% rise.

In England, total spending grew by 12% but coincided with a 13% rise in pupil numbers. Spending per pupil was lowest in Northern Ireland.

The Scottish figures include extra Covid spending, not included for other nations, but the IFS said "even after making plausible adjustments", core spending per pupil was more than £800 higher in Scotland.

Figures relate to total day-to-day school spending on children aged three to 19 by schools, local authorities and funding agencies.

Luke Sibieta, author of the research at the IFS, said it was important to remember "higher spending need not automatically translate into better educational outcomes".

He added: "Indeed, international comparisons of test scores suggest numeracy and science scores were declining in high-spending Scotland relative to the OECD average up to 2018.

"It remains to be seen whether extra spending in Scotland since 2018 will arrest this trend."

Josh Hillman, director of education at the Nuffield Foundation that funded the study, said the IFS analysis showed the "increasing divergence in education policy" between the UK nations extended to school spending per pupil.

He added: "A major cause for concern is that funding for education recovery programmes in response to the pandemic is much lower across all four nations than those being implemented in comparable countries."

Closing attainment gap

SNP MSP, and former teacher, Kaukab Stewart said the Scottish government's investment was "paying off".

"School buildings are in the best condition since records began, teacher numbers are higher than they've been since 2008, this year the number of Higher passes was at its highest since devolution, the number of Scottish students accepted to university is at a record high, and much more," she said.

"As we move out of the pandemic and into recovery, it is vital that our schools are put on a footing to continue to get the best for Scotland's young people."

Closing the "poverty-related attainment gap" was an SNP priority and a further £1bn would be invested in the Scottish Attainment Challenge during this parliament, she added.