English schools could lose £1bn by 2030 as pupil numbers fall

Primary schoolchildren in the UK. Pupil numbers in primary and secondary schools are falling. Photograph: NorthScape/Alamy

Schools in England could lose up to £1bn in funding by 2030, researchers warn, with exceptional falls in pupil numbers prompting a wave of closures as some establishments cease to be financially viable.

Mergers and closures are already under way in parts of London, where pupil numbers have been falling for some time. According to the Education Policy Institute (EPI), a thinktank, the north-east is projected to see the greatest decline in primary pupil numbers, down 13% by 2028/9.