Green Light for Hundreds of School Improvement Projects 

FUNDING HAS today (5 August) been allocated for 580 school repair and upgrading projects from the Condition Improvement Fund.

In total £180 million has been assigned by the Department of Education. It will go to academies, sixth form colleges and voluntary aided schools in England to improve school buildings.

In June this year, ten roofing trade associations urged for the funding to be allocated in time for essential roofing work to be scheduled during the school holidays before children return to schools in September.

Repair and upgrade

The funding allocated today will be used to repair and upgrade school facilities and for a small number of expansion projects.

Projects range from the upgrading of boilers to new green, energy-efficient models, to the complete refurbishment of a classroom block.

The works can begin as soon as schools are ready, and the majority should be completed this financial year.

The allocated funding comes from the £560 million announced by the Prime Minister last month.

The government is also bringing forward £200 million for FE colleges this year, as part of plans for £1.5 billion of investment over five years to refurbish the FE college estate.

10 year school rebuilding programme

The new 10-year school rebuilding programme also starts this year, supported by over £1 billion in funding for the first 50 projects. This investment will be targeted at school buildings in the worst condition in England. Projects will be confirmed in the autumn, and construction on the first sites will begin from September 2021.

The building projects will be more environmentally-friendly and employ the latest construction methods. The government hopes they will create skilled jobs and provide a boost for the construction sector.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said, “We have worked at great speed to release this additional £560 million of condition funding to schools for projects this year to kick-start the economy and transform the buildings so vital for excellent teaching.”

The 580 building projects are supported by over £180 million in funding distributed through the Department’s Condition Improvement Fund. They were selected based on bids submitted to the fund for the main funding round earlier this year.

The remainder of the £560 million is being provided to local authorities, larger multi-academy trusts and large voluntary aided school bodies to spend on improving the condition of schools.