Reflections ahead of next week's spring statement

Lacking from the last budget, however, was a clear strategy for how we are going to tackle inequity. Since then, there is an increasing body of evidence which shows this problem has only worsened:

• No real progress in closing the attainment gap (Sutton Trust, 2024).
• Persistently disadvantaged pupils and those living with SEND are up-to twice as likely to exit the education system than their peers (Education Policy Institute, 2024).
• A decline in the percentage of state school pupils in receipt of free school meals progressing to higher education for the first time since records began (National Education Opportunities Network, 2025).

The time to act is now. There is no route to economic growth, levelling up and safer communities which does not run through our education system. In fact, reducing the attainment gap, providing pathways for severely absent pupils to return to school, and addressing the teacher recruitment and retention crisis will only serve to deliver the government’s wider priorities.  

What we're advocating for

Since the last budget, we have contributed evidence to the Education Committee and Public Account’s Committee, made our case to the Curriculum and Assessment Review, and worked together with our peers and partners to ensure that the needs of the young people we work with are heard at the highest levels of government.  

Throughout all our advocacy work, our ask has been simple: 

Access to high-quality tuition should be based on need, not parental income. More funding is needed if we are to extend our impact to even more schools and young people across the North of England. 

Next week's statement

Ahead of the spring statement next week, we have joined over 120 organisations and signed the Fair Education Alliance’s open letter to the Chancellor.