Schools and colleges to receive £2.5 billion to upgrade buildings and boost school places
by Educate Magazine March 29, 2023 · Education News
The Department for Education has announced that millions of young people across the country are set to benefit from a significant £2.5 billion boost so they can learn in high quality buildings and facilities.
Schools and colleges will receive investment to upgrade classrooms and refurbish buildings that will provide high quality learning environments.
The government said that thousands of additional primary and secondary school places will be created in good or outstanding schools for September 2026.
The government stated a further £487 million will be invested to support councils to provide additional school places needed for September 2026.
This comes on top of the School Rebuilding Programme, which the government said will transform buildings at 500 schools across the country over the next decade. They added that they are ‘prioritising’ those in poor condition.
Minister for skills, apprenticeships and higher education, Robert Halfon, said: “This significant investment will transform school and college buildings across the country so that they are fit for the future and can provide the best education for students, no matter where they live.
“We want every young person to have access to high-quality facilities and learning environments, to gain the skills they need to climb the ladder of opportunity into further study and work, whilst supporting efforts to grow the economy.”
The funding announced on yesterday (28 March) includes a £1.8 billion investment for the 2023-24 financial year, which the government said is to improve the condition of the school estate across England.
The government added that 146 colleges will benefit from the final phase of the £1.5 billion Further Education Capital Transformation Programme, to upgrade buildings and transform campuses.
The government said the aim of the FE Capital Transformation Programme is to transform post-16 education and training, which the Department for Education said will ‘ensure’ every student can gain the skills they need to progress and secure a good job.
