The unpredictable birth rate problem

Available for over a year

Since 2020, the Department for Education has published projections of how many children in England would be in state education up to, and including, 2032. But new figures published last week only went up to 2028 because of "uncertainty in longer-term fertility assumptions". For new ministers calling the shots in education policy, working out what the long-term future will look like, including how many pupils they need to prepare for - may be challenging. But this is also a problem for schools - and headteachers - struggling to fund staffing and resources. In this podcast, our education correspondent, Hazel Shearing, looks at the unpredictable birth rate problem – and its impact on schools in England. (Image: BBC)