Government’s school funding claim investigated by statistics watchdog

The government’s claim of high spending in schools is being investigated by the statistics watchdog.

Figures quoted by ministers to defend the government’s state school spending are being looked into.

It comes after thousands of headteachers marched on Westminster last week over funding cuts.

The Department for Education (DfE) and ministers dismissed the concerns of headteachers - saying that the UK was “the third highest spender on education in the world”.

But it has emerged from a BBC report that these figures – used to defend school spending – also included money spent by university students on tuition fees and parents on private school fees.

And now the UK Statistics Authority, the watchdog which prevents the misleading use of figures, has launched an investigation of the government’s claim.

On BBC Radio 4's Today programme last Friday – when thousands of headteachers went on a protest – schools minister Nick Gibb said: “We are spending record amounts on our school funding. We are the third highest spender on education in the OECD."

It was a claim that had also been made in statements from the DfE and published on its website.

Headteacher Jules White, organiser of the anti-funding cuts march last week, said: “Ministers have now been caught out and we appeal to them to stop the pattern of using dreadfully misleading information which is unfair to educational professionals and most crucially to parents and pupils.”

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “We have consistently argued that funding for schools is down by 8 per cent in real terms.

“The National Audit Office agrees, the Institute of Fiscal Studies agrees, parents can see it is true, as can the electorate.”

He added that headteachers would be “disappointed but not surprised” that the Department for Education (DfE) has serious questions to answer over the veracity of their claims.

“If trust goes there is little left for the profession to hold on to. Failing to face up to the truth will cheat an entire generation,” Mr Whiteman said.

Angela Rayner, Labour’s shadow education secretary, said: “It is time that the Government stopped making up their figures and started facing up to the facts.

“The Prime Minister promised that austerity was over, but if she means a word of it then the Chancellor must undo the years of damage the Tories have caused to our school system and tackle the education funding crisis in this month’s Budget.”

The UK Statistics Authority and the Office for Statistics Regulation has said it is investigating the concerns raise and they “will publish their findings shortly.”

A DfE spokesperson said: “The most informative OECD statistic on school funding is that in 2015 among G7 nations, the UK government spent the highest percentage of GDP on institutions delivering primary and secondary education.

“This is one of several statistics in the OECD report that demonstrate the UK is among the highest spenders on education at primary and secondary level, whether you look at spend as a share of GDP, spend as a share of government spending or spend per pupil.

“Other independently verified statistics show the government is investing in schools – the IFS found that real terms per pupil funding in 2020 will be over 50 per cent higher than it was in 2000.

“It is true to say that the OECD has ranked the UK as the third highest for education funding – this includes tertiary and private education for every country.”