Access to quality education is a critical determinant of social mobility and tackling societal inequalities. However, in recent years, schools in the UK have faced significant funding pressures. More than a decade of austerity measures, rising costs, high staff turnover and a myriad of challenges, have strained the educational system’s capacity to deliver high-quality learning experiences. Alongside stresses from the impact of the cost of living crisis on their families and a fragile recovery from years of learning in lockdowns, these financial pressures are affecting students’ educational and social outcomes across the country, including rising mental health issues.

There is geographic disparity in England’s educational outcomes: findings from the Institute for Fiscal Studies show a significant difference in income mobility for children across the country, with a strong North-South gradient. Encouragingly, some local authorities are narrowing the attainment gap having taken measures to address these disparities and ensure that all students have equal access to quality education, offering hope that this trend can be reversed. 

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