Select Committee · Public Accounts Committee

The condition of school buildings

Status: Closed Opened: 24 May 2023 Closed: 8 Mar 2024 2 recommendations 40 conclusions 1 report

In March 2022 the Public Accounts Committee reported on the risks to schools’ financial sustainability , including wide variations in the condition of individual schools and their funding. The school estate in England comprises some 22,000 schools, with the majority overseen by the responsible body in control of the school, usually the relevant local authority …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Second Report - The condition of school buildings HC 78 19 Nov 2023 42 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

1 item
26 Conclusion Second Report - The condition of school… Rejected

700,000 pupils learning in schools requiring major rebuilding, but only 500 will be addressed

Around 700,000 pupils are learning in a school which the responsible body or DfE believes requires major rebuilding or refurbishment, given safety issues or poor general building condition (which might mean problems with a combination of items, such as roofs, windows and heating systems). This figure is derived from the …

Government response. The government rejects the interpretation of the 700,000 pupils figure, explaining it is often misinterpreted because it includes all pupils in self-nominated schools for the School Rebuilding Programme, even if only part of the estate is in poor condition.
HM Treasury

Oral evidence sessions

1 session
Date Witnesses
13 Jul 2023 Jane Balderstone · Department for Education, Jane Cunliffe · Department for Education, Susan Acland-Hood · The Department for Education View ↗

Correspondence

2 letters
DateDirectionTitle
26 Feb 2024 Correspondence from Susan Acland-Hood, Permanent Secretary, Department for Educ…
19 Sep 2023 Correspondence from Susan Acland-Hood, Permanent Secretary, Department for Educ…