£2.4bn a year for school rebuilding programme

The Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced around £2.4 billion per year to be invested in the School Rebuilding Programme over the next four years, in the Spending Review 2025.

This reaffirms the government’s commitment to rebuild over 500 schools

As part of the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy, the government will also commit to expand the programme, providing long-term certainty out to 2034-35.

There will also be an increase in annual maintenance investment per year in line with inflation, rising to around £2.3 billion in 2029-30 - to improve the condition of the school estate. This is an increase of over £400 million per year by 2029-30, compared with 2024-25.

The government is also making available £2.6 billion from 2026‑27 to 2029-30 to fund provision of mainstream school places needed to meet future demographic needs.

Rachel Reeves told the Commons: “People who went to ordinary comprehensives like mine in the 80s and 90s are all too familiar with the experience of being taught in temporary classrooms. And the previous Conservative government oversaw another generation of kids herded into cold, damp buildings as school roofs literally crumbled. It wasn’t acceptable when I was at school, and it isn’t acceptable now.

“So I am providing investment rising to nearly £2.3 billion per year to fix our crumbling classrooms. As well as £2.4 billion per year to continue our programme to rebuild 500 schools.”