During a recent session with MPs, it was revealed that a “significant minority” of schools are failing to manage their estates effectively. This comes as Labour prepares to unveil its “long-term” strategy for educational estates.
Children’s Minister Josh MacAlister and senior Department for Education (DfE) official Dr. Jonathan Dewsbury addressed queries from members of the education select committee this morning.
The discussion focused on delays in the school rebuilding programme (SRP), the government’s RAAC bill, and ongoing research concerning “older buildings.”
1. Upcoming Estates Strategy
MacAlister indicated that the government is set to publish a “long-term estates strategy” very soon, which will outline a plan to address maintenance backlog issues over several years.
He expressed openness to feedback from school leaders regarding the future of the condition improvement fund (CIF), noting that the lack of long-term visibility on funding allocations makes prioritizing projects challenging.
While single-academy trusts and smaller multi-academy trusts (MATs) must apply for funding through the CIF, larger chains and councils receive funding automatically. Schools Week previously reported that the system for maintenance funding allocation is under review.
MacAlister stated that the estates strategy will provide “even more confidence” regarding future funding, although it remains uncertain whether this will manifest as a “multi-year settlement” or merely “indications” concerning future allocations.
2. Research on Older Buildings
The DfE’s annual report for 2024-25, released earlier this year, categorized the risk of building failure in educational facilities as “critical – very likely.”
However, Dewsbury emphasized that the government is not aware of any students learning in unsafe environments.
He attributed the critical risk assessment partly to Labour’s “unprecedented” investment in capital funding, which will amount to “up to £3 billion by 2034” alongside £20 billion for the SRP, highlighting that such investments will take time to implement.
Officials are also awaiting the results of research into “older buildings,” expected to conclude in the spring, which will refine the department’s assessment of risk.
Preliminary findings suggest there are “no systematic issues” related to system-built structures, a type of post-war construction previously flagged as a significant risk. Although there are over 13,000 such blocks, officials are particularly concerned about 3,600 that utilized concrete or timber frames.
According to Dewsbury, the primary reason for the deterioration of the estate is the “lack of maintenance.”
3. Compliance Issues in a Significant Minority of Schools
Committee member and Labour MP Darren Paffey pointed out that there are currently “no mechanisms for monitoring schools’ compliance” with the government’s estate management standards, which were published earlier this year.
Dewsbury acknowledged that the DfE is collaborating with responsible bodies and the Confederation of School Trusts to develop a more effective way to assess compliance levels.
“While the majority of the sector is meeting those standards, there is a significant minority that we believe are not, particularly highlighted through RAAC,” he noted.
The government has gathered data on compliance during its latest round of condition data collection surveys, asking school leaders whether they have an asset management plan in place. Dewsbury assured that this data will be shared with relevant parties to facilitate informed decisions moving forward.
4. No Plans to Rebuild All Schools
In a letter to the government two years ago, Stephen Morales, CEO of the Institute of School Business Leadership, warned that current capital investment levels would mean it could take 400 years to replace every primary and secondary school in the country.
However, Dewsbury clarified that the DfE “has no intention to rebuild all schools.” Instead, the focus is on “practical maintenance.” Rebuilding will only occur in cases of “acute condition need.”
He added, “Planning permission is a significant barrier to school rebuilding programmes,” questioning why rebuilding a school on the same site still requires full planning permission rather than being classified as permitted development.
MacAlister remarked that Labour’s broader strategy for changing the planning system aims to expedite such projects.
5. Lessons Learned from Previous Building Failures
When queried about the selection process for approved contractors within the SRP, MacAlister stated that the DfE has “learned lessons from other construction projects that have failed.”
The aim is to avoid a bespoke procurement approach for each school and instead partner with a smaller number of organizations that have proven track records. “We want to minimize risks associated with SRP funding by steering clear of overly novel approaches,” MacAlister added.
6. £211 Million Allocated for RAAC Mitigation
Dewsbury confirmed that £211 million in government funds has already been allocated for RAAC mitigation and remediation efforts. However, he refrained from providing forecasts for future expenditures, citing that they are subject to ongoing commercial negotiations with individual suppliers and contractors.
