The annual cost of sending a child to a UK secondary state school has increased to around £2,275, according to new research from the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) and the Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP).
The report also found that the yearly cost for a child in primary school has gone up by 16%. It now exceeds £1,000.
In 2022, the cost for secondary school was about £1,755, while parents spent nearly £865 for primary school. The rise since then is “significant” and has outpaced both inflation and earnings growth, the researchers said.
The main reasons for the increase include the higher price of food for packed lunches and snacks, and the growing need for digital learning tools.
Secondary school pupils now also face higher costs for school supplies. These include textbooks, stationery, and materials for practical subjects like design and technology.
CPAG is urging the government to take action. It wants the upcoming child poverty strategy to focus on improving living standards for families. The group says reducing the cost of the school day would be a good start.
This could include expanding access to free school meals and offering direct support for school uniform costs in England.
“Parents are struggling to pay bills while also trying to afford pencils and PE kits,” said Kate Anstey, head of education policy at CPAG. “Their children are still missing out on school activities because of the cost.”
Anstey added that unless the government ends the two-child benefit cap, more children will face poverty. This, she warned, will limit their chances both inside and outside the classroom.
Parents shared how these rising costs affect their children. One mother said her son “always gets detentions for missing equipment.” Another parent from Wales said her children feel left out because they cannot join in activities. “They won’t ask for stationery, and they get behaviour points for not having the right gear,” she explained.
The report is based on research from Loughborough University’s CRSP. It used the Minimum Income Standard (MIS), which is based on what the public considers necessary for a basic but acceptable standard of living. It includes input from focus groups of parents who discussed what children need for school.
