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1.1 This is a new bulletin providing information about budgeted running costs in Scottish schools. The information in this publication was previously supplied in a report entitled ‘Scottish Schools: Costs’ which was issued by the former Audit Unit of Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools. The bulletin contains information on budgeted running costs for primary and secondary schools in Scotland, including grant-aided and self-governing schools. Summary information for education authorities and for Scotland is also shown.
2.1 The average budgeted running cost per pupil is significantly higher in secondary schools than in primary. In 2000-2001, the average cost per pupil in primary schools was £2,042, as compared with £3,098 in secondary schools.
2.2 The primary school budgeted running cost per pupil rose by just over 5 per cent in cash terms between 1999-2000 and 2000-2001, while the secondary figure rose by just under 3 per cent.
2.3 Shetland Islands, Eilean Siar and Orkney Islands have easily the highest average running costs per pupil, in both primary and secondary schools. The lowest costs per pupil are in East Renfrewshire, Moray, Scottish Borders and Falkirk in primary schools and in East Renfrewshire, Fife, Perth & Kinross and South Ayrshire in secondary schools.
2.4 The size of the school is an important factor in the budgeted running cost per pupil; in general, the smaller the school, the higher the cost per pupil. The influence of size on running cost is less marked among larger schools.
Budgeted school running cost per pupil by sector: 1993-1994 to 2000-2001 Chart 1
Budgeted school running cost per pupil, 1993-1994 to 2000-2001 Table 1
|
|
Primary |
Secondary | ||
|
Year | Average cost per pupil (£) | Annual increase (%) | Average cost per pupil (£) | Annual increase (%) |
| 1993-1994 | 1,642 |
N/A | 2,686 | N/A |
| 1994-1995 |
1,656 | 1 | 2,658 |
-1 |
|
1995-1996 | 1,724 | 4 |
2,708 | 2 |
| 1996-1997 | 1,767 |
2 | 2,760 | 2 |
| 1997-1998 |
1,791 | 1 | 2,782 |
1 |
|
1998-1999 | 1,848 | 3 |
2,861 | 3 |
| 1999-2000 | 1,939 |
5 | 3,016 | 5 |
| 2000-2001 |
2,042 | 5 | 3,098 |
3 |
3.1 There were around 430,000 primary pupils, and 315,000 secondary pupils, in publicly funded schools in 2000-2001.
3.2 The average cost per pupil in primary schools has risen by just under a quarter in cash terms, over the last seven years. The secondary figure has risen by just over 15 per cent. In 2000-2001, the average cost per pupil in secondary schools was one-and-a-half times higher than in primary schools. (Table 1)
3.3 The following tables and charts show the significance of the size of school roll in relation to average budgeted running cost per pupil, in both primary and secondary schools. In general, as school roll increases, the average budgeted running cost per pupil decreases.
3.4 As shown in Table 2, the average budgeted running cost per pupil for primary schools with 20 pupils or less was £5,544. In contrast, in schools with more than 600 pupils, the average cost per pupil was £1,589. Table 2 also shows that more generally, where school roll is above 300, average cost per pupil is below £2,000. Chart 2 illustrates that the budgeted running cost per pupil, for schools with over 200 pupils, is almost always in the range £1,500 to £2,500.
Budgeted running cost per pupil in primary schools, by size of school, 2000-2001
Table 2
| School roll |
Number of primary schools |
Average cost per pupil (£) |
|
Total | 2,272 | 2,042 |
| Up to 20 |
137 | 5,544 |
|
21-50 | 321 |
3,302 |
|
51-100 | 311 |
2,627 |
|
101-150 | 236 | 2,412 |
| 151-200 |
301 | 2,240 |
|
201-300 | 472 | 2,013 |
| 301-400 |
299 | 1,836 |
|
401-600 | 182 | 1,722 |
| >600 |
13 | 1,589 |
School roll and budgeted running cost per pupil for primary schools, 2000-2001 Chart 2
3.5 Table 3 shows that in secondary schools with up to 400 pupils, the average budgeted running cost per pupil is £5,010, while in schools with over 1,200 pupils, this cost falls to £2,762 per pupil. In general, secondary schools with rolls of 900 or more have average costs of under £3,000 per pupil. Chart 3 illustrates that the budgeted running cost per pupil, for schools with over 800 pupils, is almost always in the range £2,500 to £3,500.
Budgeted running cost per pupil in secondary schools, by size of school, 2000-2001 Table 3
| School roll |
Number of secondary schools |
Average cost per pupil (£) |
|
Total | 389 | 3,098 |
| Up to 400 |
55 | 5,010 |
|
401-600 | 50 |
3,587 |
|
601-800 | 69 |
3,310 |
|
801-900 | 53 |
3,102 |
|
901-1000 | 50 | 2,988 |
| 1001-1200 |
58 | 2,929 |
| >1200 |
54 | 2,762 |
School roll and budgeted running cost per pupil for secondary schools, 2000-2001 Chart 3
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