Commenting on the National Audit Office’s report on the impact of changing demand for school places, Michael Scott, Senior Economist at NFER, said:
“NFER welcomes the NAO's report looking at the issue of declining pupil numbers and the challenges demographic change poses to schools.
“As we have highlighted before, demographic change will require significant cost-saving measures in many schools, particularly given the challenging financial position a lot of schools already face. Indeed, our evidence shows schools have already had to make substantial cuts in areas where pupil numbers have fallen most significantly in recent years.
“It is therefore vital that schools are supported by government, local authorities and trusts to manage and minimise the risks of adverse impacts on pupils. This is particularly true because schools with more disadvantaged pupils are more likely to be affected, as NAO's work shows.
“Looking ahead, the sector will need to employ a range of different strategies to cope with falling numbers and it is vital that they have the information they need to make these decisions. We know that one option many schools are considering is using multi-grade classes. By putting different age groups in the same class, they can reduce the number of classes in the school. That is why we are delighted to be partnering with the Nuffield Foundation and the University of Nottingham to research the use and impact of these classes across England.”