The Department for Education will cut funding to state schools that was used to cover the costs of students studying the International Baccalaureate’s Diploma Programme.

Currently 20 state schools in England offer the Diploma Programme (DP), with each school receiving around an additional £2,400 per pupil to deliver this qualification. This is based on a 20 per cent uplift from the standard per-pupil funding formula per year, as set out in the large programme uplift guidance (LPU).

However, in a letter sent to settings last week, seen by Tes, the government says this money will not be provided from the 2026-27 academic year.

No more funding for the IB

“We will be reprioritising this funding element from the academic year 2026 to 2027”, the letter says. “The LPU will no longer provide funding for students on the International Baccalaureate.”

The letter did confirm, though, that some transitional funding would remain in place for 2026-27 to ease the change.

The Department for Education said schools still had the freedom to decide what programmes of study to follow but it wanted central funding to be aimed at “prioritising subjects we know lead to good jobs and drive economic growth”.

“Our commonsense reforms ensure the greatest value for money for the taxpayer and will equip young people with the skills they need for their future careers,” a spokesperson said.

In response, the International Baccalaureate (IB) issued a statement saying that the “development is deeply disheartening”. It urged “ministers to reconsider this decision”, arguing that the change will save little money but 5,000 students will lose access to DP.

“Many IB schools in England are state-funded and serve diverse student populations. By providing students from a wide range of backgrounds with internationally recognised qualifications, these schools expand opportunity and social mobility across England,” the IB said.

“If the Department for Education carries out this plan, its savings will be minimal but there will be significant costs to students in loss of choice and opportunity in a globally competitive environment.”

Richard Markham, CEO at IB Schools and Colleges Association, also criticised the decision, especially its timing.

“This announcement, coming during the middle of sixth-form open day season, has placed a huge strain on school leaders as well as creating a lot of uncertainty for pupils, parents and staff,” he said.

“The IB has been delivered in our state schools for half a century and it would be wrong if this excellent study programme became the preserve of only those in the private sector.”

He added that the group was ” in conversation with the government” and “working hard to get a positive resolution”.

The decision is the latest diktat to impact the IB after Russian authorities branded the organisation “undesirable” due to its perceived Western ideology - a move that forced schools in the country to ditch the qualification.

Despite this, use of the IB is growing worldwide with the number of IB-accredited schools passing 6,000 this year.

You can now get the UK’s most-trusted source of education news in a mobile app. Get Tes magazine on iOS and on Android