Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 36
36
Deferred
Significant geographical disparities persist in school building conditions across England, impacting deprived areas.
Conclusion
We asked DfE about the geographical divide in the condition of schools which manifests itself in two main ways: schools in the north of England appear to generally be in worse condition than those in the south; and schools in rural and coastal areas face more significant challenges than those in urban areas. DfE acknowledged that there are places where it is harder for schools and academy trusts to attract investment, and that this is a particular feature in areas of higher deprivation. It also accepted that it does not currently provide education investment areas, which were identified in the Levelling Up white paper as local authorities where educational outcomes were weakest, with any additional capital funding. However, DfE asserted that areas with concentrations of school buildings in poor condition should already benefit from its rebuilding programmes and the capital funding formulas that it applies.57
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the committee's observation and explains that its capital funding programs are already targeted on need; it states that data from CDC2, available in 2024, will inform capital funding policy and potential changes to the allocation methodology for the 2025-26 financial year.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
9.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: March 2025 9.2 This government introduced the Condition Data Collection (CDC), the first ever comprehensive survey of the school estate and one of the largest data collection programmes of its kind in Europe. CDC2 is now in train to provide updated data on the estate. 9.3 The department’s capital funding programmes are already targeted on need. For example, School Condition Allocations provided to large responsible bodies annually, take account of the relative condition of their schools, based on consistent data from its survey programme. The department’s bid-based programmes robustly assess applications based on the published criteria. Unlike previous programmes, like Building Schools for the Future, the School Rebuilding Programme prioritises projects based on evidence of need rather than other factors. The department’s funding methodology also takes account of the different types and size of responsible body in the sector, so that funding can be aggregated into larger pots which can be more efficiently prioritised across groups of schools, with funding then concentrated on larger projects where required. 9.4 The department provides extensive guidance on effective estate management, such as the Estate Management Competency Framework and the Capital Advisers Programme, and continues to expand support to trusts. 9.5 The department keeps its approach to capital funding, guidance and support for improving the condition of the school estate under review. Representative data from the on-going Condition Data Collection 2 should be available in 2024 to further inform capital funding policy and any changes to the allocation methodology for the 2025-26 financial year.