This survey was conducted from 2 to 12 September 2025 and was sent to 3,105 state school headteachers in England. There were 530 responses, a return rate of 17%. The majority of returns (84%) were from headteachers of mainstream secondary schools.
The questions asked were largely the same as those in our previous funding survey conducted in June 2024, allowing for direct comparison.
Financial picture not improving
The main conclusion that can be drawn from looking at the results of these two surveys is that the funding situation is not improving. The results of this year’s survey are markedly similar to last year’s. Despite a slight increase in education spending nationally, the rising costs faced by schools means leaders continue to face very difficult decisions.
Over the past 12 months:
- 71% have increased class sizes (compared with 68% the year prior)
- 59% have reduced the number of teachers (57%)
- 57% have reduced the number of teaching assistants (53%)
- 49% have reduced their curriculum offer (50%)
- 60% have run an in-year deficit budget (57%)
Respondents used words such as ‘dire’, ‘breaking point’, ‘desperate’ and ‘unmanageable’ to describe the current funding situation in their school. Some leaders in slightly better circumstances made reference to the need to use reserves and expressed concern that this was not sustainable in the long term. Leaders of PFI schools referenced the rising costs associated with these contacts. There also appears to be a growing reliance on parental donations, with 44% having made requests in the last 12 months (up just under two percentage points year-on-year.
Capital funding concerns
It’s clear that planned capital spending is not going far enough or fast enough, and that this is a major concern among school leaders. Several respondents expressed frustration about having CIF bids turned down, preventing essential work from being carried out.
Asked if their school had issues with buildings and facilities:
- 73% have classrooms which require replacement or refurbishment (up from 69%)
- 48% have a boiler/ heating system which requires replacement (45%)
- 45% have electrics which require replacement (39%)
- 44% have a kitchen which requires replacement or refurbishment (37%)
- 56% have sports facilities which require replacement or refurbishment (52%)
Going forward
Thank you to everybody who took the time to complete the survey. It will help inform our submission to the Treasury ahead of the Autumn Budget on 26 November, as well as our ongoing campaign for sufficiency of revenue and capital funding for every school and college. We’ll be delving deeper into the survey results as part of our funding and operations update at this year’s
Autumn Leadership Conferences.