Restoring schools could cost billions, report says

Restoring all schools to a satisfactory condition may cost billions, a report by the National Audit Office shows.

According to the Capital Funding for Schools report, an estimated sum of £6.7 billion will be needed to return all school buildings to a “satisfactory or better condition”.

It also suggests that a further £7.1 billion would be needed to bring parts of school buildings from satisfactory to a good condition.

The most common problems with schools are with the electrics and external walls, according to the watchdog.

It is the responsibility of schools, multi-academy trusts and local authorities to ensure that schools are maintained, and while the Department of Education (DfE) cannot assess how the condition of schools will change over time, problems are expected to double between 2015/16 and 2020/21.

Much of the school's estate is more than 40 years old and 60 per cent have been built before 1976.

This means that many buildings are near the end of their “useful lives”, even with current levels of funding.

Sir Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office, said: “The Department has responded positively to start to meet the challenges it faces in relation to the quality and capacity of the school estate.

“Significant challenges remain, however, as the population continues to grow and the condition of the ageing estate deteriorates.

“To deliver value for money, the Department must make the best use of the capital funding it has available - by continuing to increase the use of data to inform its funding decisions and by creating places where it can demonstrate that they will have the greatest impact.”