A new report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) highlights tough choices for Scottish education. With pupil numbers set to fall, maintaining current teacher levels could lead to historically low class sizes, but at a significant cost.
The IFS report suggests that allowing teacher numbers to fall in line with pupil numbers could free up £500 million annually by 2040, a valuable saving given tight council budgets.
The think tank has stated that keeping teacher numbers in line with pupil numbers could save the government £500 million a year by 2040.
Key Findings:
- Scotland’s spending per pupil is the highest in the UK.
- Scotland already has smaller class sizes than the rest of the UK.
- Maintaining teacher numbers could see pupils per teacher fall to 12 in 2040.
Darcey Snape, a Research Economist at IFS, said: “With class sizes already low in Scotland, cutting teacher numbers in line with the projected fall in pupil numbers could in principle free up funds for spending elsewhere.”
The report acknowledges difficulties in reducing teacher numbers, especially in rural areas. The IFS suggests focusing on teaching quality, as further class size reductions may not be cost-effective. A long-term plan is needed for efficient resource use in Scottish education.
