Exploring the shifts in England’s school population and structures in 2026

England's educational landscape is undergoing significant changes in 2026, with shifts in school populations and alternative provision.

The educational landscape in England is experiencing notable transformations in 2026. With demographic shifts and evolving policies, the structure and composition of schools are changing. This article delves into the current state of primary and secondary schools, alternative provision, and key educational indicators.

As of, there are just over 8.9 million pupils in England, marking a decrease of 112,200 from the previous year. This decline is primarily driven by demographic changes following the peak of births in. Both primary and secondary school populations are projected to continue decreasing until 2030.

The changing face of England’s schools

The number of schools in England has seen a slight increase, with 20 more schools in 2026/26 compared to the previous year. This growth is attributed to an increase in secondary schools, state-funded special schools, and independent schools, offset by a decrease in alternative provision (AP) schools, nursery schools, and primary schools.

The rise of academies is a significant trend, with 48.2% of all schools now being academies. Notably, over half of all pupils (60.4%) are attending an academy. This shift is particularly evident in secondary schools, where 83.9% are academies or free schools, accounting for 83.6% of secondary school pupils.

Alternative provision and special educational needs

Alternative provision (AP) plays a crucial role in educating pupils who cannot attend mainstream or special schools. In 2026/26, the number of pupils in state-funded AP schools decreased by 0.5% to 16,600. These schools typically have high mobility, with pupils having shorter spells than in other schools.

The number of pupils in state-funded and non-maintained special schools has increased by 4.8% to 178,000. This continues a trend of increases seen in recent years, reflecting a growing recognition of special educational needs.

School-arranged alternative provision

School-arranged alternative provision includes placements where a school has arranged alternative education for a pupil. In, there were 28,300 pupils in school-arranged AP. The most common reason for these placements was off-site behavioral support. Notably, 37.4% of these pupils had an Education, Health and Care (EHC) planand 62.0% were male.

Local authority arranged placements

Local authorities also arrange placements in non-state-funded alternative provision. In 2026/26, the number of placements increased by 21.9% to 72,800. The majority of these placements (69.9%) are in educational settings, with the most common reason being that the setting was named on an EHC plan.

Free school meals and pupil characteristics

The number of pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM) has continued to increase. In, over 2.2 million pupils were eligible, accounting for 26.5% of all pupils. This increase reflects the continuation of transitional protections for pupils eligible for FSM.

Free school meal eligibility varies by region, with the North East having the highest rate (33.0%) and the South East and East of England the lowest (21.1%). The highest rates of FSM eligibility are among pupils in year 6, at 31.6%. Ethnicity also plays a role, with the highest rates among pupils of Traveller of Irish heritage (68.9%) and Gypsy/Roma ethnic groups (62.6%).

In terms of ethnicity, 38.7% of pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds. Additionally, 21.6% of pupils have a first language other than English, with this percentage varying by school type. Young carers are another significant group, with 89,800 pupils identified as young carers in 2026/26.

Class sizes and pupil-to-teacher ratios

The average class size for infant classes has slightly decreased to 25.9, with 2.7% of pupils in large classes. For key stage 2, the average class size decreased to 27.6, with 18.8% of pupils in large classes. Primary school class sizes have slightly decreased, while secondary school class sizes have slightly increased.

Pupil-to-teacher ratios are published in the School workforce in England release. These ratios provide insights into the size of the workforce in relation to the learner population, with a decrease in the ratio indicating fewer pupils per teacher.