Schools in Essex will get more money for their pupils in this academic year, but experts say the increase could fail to keep track with inflation.

Department for Education figures show Essex schools will have an average budget of £4,900 per pupil in the new 2023-24 academic year – an increase of 4.8 per cent from £4,676 the previous year.

Inflation stood at 6.3 per cent in the 12 months to August.

The Association of School and College Leaders expressed concerns the “financial situation will continue to be extremely challenging”, with cuts to real-term per-pupil funding of nine per cent between 2010 and 2019.

Essex schools will have a total budget of £1.4 billion, with £34.4 million allocated to special education needs support.

A Department for Education spokesman said school funding in England will be at its "highest level in history", reaching over £59.6billion next year.