Sixty-one schools around the nation are scheduled to get modern rebuilds or renovations that will revolutionise how their students are educated.
As part of the Prime Minister’s flagship School Rebuilding Programme, James Cleverly announced the investment in thousands of children’s access to brand-new, contemporary classrooms in his first statement as Education Secretary.
Over £1 billion will be invested on the projects.
The projects’ delivery will begin immediately. Buildings will be updated and modernised, and cutting-edge amenities including new sports arenas, music rooms, science labs, and dining spaces will be built.
In order to help the government reach its net-zero aim, the new school buildings will operate with a net-zero carbon emissions.
With 11 in the North West, 10 in the North East, and six in Yorkshire and the Humber, the schools in this round of selections—which include primary, secondary, and special schools—will help raise the educational bar for students of all ages throughout the nation.
Since 2010, government initiatives have renovated or constructed about 500 schools.
James Cleverly, the education secretary, said:
‘Our School Rebuilding Programme is already making a difference to the lives of pupils and their teachers. It is creating greener school sites that are fit for the future and that local communities can be proud of.
‘We know how important it is to have high-quality school facilities. That is why we continue to invest billions in our rebuilding programme.’
Andy Byers, Headteacher of Framwellgate School Durham, said:
‘I’m absolutely delighted that Framwellgate School Durham has been chosen to be part of the School Rebuilding Programme.
‘Our school was designed and built in the 1960s and is old and tired and very poorly designed. With a new building we will be able to give our students facilities and a learning environment which will inspire them, and our staff, in the working environment they deserve.’
Schools that were chosen for the programme in the first round, such West Coventry Academy and St. John Fisher Catholic High School in Wigan, are now getting all of their structures replaced. The project will change the setting in which kids learn, including brand-new sports facilities that will encourage more kids to engage in physical exercise.
The pledge to rebuild and renovate the most in needy schools is a part of the government’s broader commitments made in the Schools White Paper, which aim to guarantee that by 2030 every child will be taught a broad and ambitious curriculum, have access to high-quality extracurricular opportunities, and attend a school with high expectations and strict behavioural standards.
Staff and students need access to excellent facilities to do this.
The government has committed £1.8 billion in the financial year 2022–2023 for maintenance and improvement of the school estate in addition to the new rebuilding programme, as part of the $13.1 billion allotted since 2015.
The full list of schools can be found here.