Schools in the South West to receive major investment into their school buildings

Children in the South West are to benefit from substantial investment to ensure they receive a great education, as the government has today announced £1.8 billion in funding for 2024-25 to improve school and sixth-form college buildings across England in a drive to improve school standards for generations to come.

• 49 schools in the South West to directly receive over £18.2 million funding to upgrade their school buildings
• Millions more allocated across the region through trusts and local authorities
• Part of £1.8bn national investment confirmed today to improve learning environments for years to come

As part of this, the South West will see 49 schools, benefit from a total of £18.2 million through the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) to complete larger improvements to their schools such as upgrading heating systems, replacing roofs or rewiring electrical systems. 

This comes as 733 schools and sixth form colleges, that are part of small academy trusts or small voluntary aided bodies, are confirmed across the country today to receive part of £450m in CIF funding to make school buildings for years to come. 

Schools that are looked after by councils, multi academy trusts and large voluntary aided school groups across England will also benefit from almost £1.2 billion to support them in similar large improvement projects through School Condition Allocations. 

This funding for schools will mean newer roofs, heating systems and top of the line classrooms for schools up and down the country ensuring children are learning in high quality environments built for the future. 

On top of this the remainder of the £1.8billion will be allocated to all schools and sixth form colleges across the country, through the Devolved Formula capital, to improve the day to day running of the school with modernising ICT equipment and upgrading playgrounds improving the everyday learning experience of pupils and staff. 

Schools Minister, Damian Hinds, said:

“From day-to-day maintenance to long lasting structural improvements this funding will support schools in the South West in providing high quality learning environments for all our children.

“We want every child to realise their potential and great school buildings are just one part of our work to drive up standards across the education system - with more pupils in good and outstanding schools than ever before.” 

In recent years schools in the South West have used funding to improve their school estate so it is for years to come by replacing school roofs, ensuring a modern fire safety features and building a new school gym to improve the quality of learning and help inspire pupils.

With these new capital funding allocations, the government has now allocated over £17 billion since 2015 to improve our school buildings for generations to come. This is in addition to delivery of the School Rebuilding Programme, which is transforming over 500 schools across England. 

Allocations are informed by government’s condition data collection, one of the largest and most comprehensive surveys or school building condition in Europe, to target funding to where it is most needed. This is the first UK Government in history to fund schools based on a national assessment of the condition of their buildings. 

We know our plan is working. Early indications from our ongoing new data collection survey show that in almost every case significant issues previously identified in the first condition survey have been resolved. 

In addition to our capital investment, our schools are benefitting from the highest levels of funding in history totalling more than £60 billion.

This Government’s record investment, is helping us deliver on our plan to ensure every child gets a world-class education.