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Cuts loom as energy and supply teacher costs drive hundreds of local authority schools into deficit

The proportion of local authority schools with a budget deficit has increased dramatically and average revenue balances for schools in surplus have fallen.
Image: Adobe Stock

The latest figures from the Department for Education (DfE) show that 13.1% of local authority maintained schools report an overall budget deficit in 2022/23.

This is an increase of 4.3% on 2021/22 when 8.8% of schools were in the same position.

It has sparked a warning from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) that at least one in 10 schools will need to make cuts in the coming year if they are to balance their finances.

Any school running an overall deficit is expected to take action towards returning to a neutral financial position.

The 13.1% figure equates to 1,552 schools, with a further 53 schools (0.4%) reporting a revenue reserve of £0. The figures show that 10,258 schools (86.5%) are in surplus.

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