School budgets and per-pupil spending

Request budget allocation and per-pupil spending figures for a named school.

Schools are funded by councils, but the amount each school gets varies. Per-pupil spending lets you see whether your local school is getting its fair share.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [SCHOOL NAME] for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total budget allocation for the school. 2. A breakdown of the budget by category (staffing, premises, supplies, other). 3. The number of pupils on the school roll used to calculate the budget. 4. The per-pupil spending figure. I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]
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Who to send it to#

Your local council’s education department. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

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Tips#

  • Name a specific school and financial year to keep the request focused. Asking for all schools in an authority is likely to hit the cost limit.
  • Each council operates a Devolved School Management (DSM) scheme that sets out how it allocates funding to schools. The methodology varies. Some councils use per-pupil formulas, others use staffing models. You can request a copy of the DSM scheme to understand how your council calculates school budgets.
  • Per-pupil spending can vary for good reasons (e.g. schools with more pupils who have additional support needs). The figure alone does not tell the whole story, but it is a useful starting point.