Source · Select Committees · Education Committee

Recommendation 13

13 Accepted in Part

Ageing system-build schools pose hidden risks without deeper structural surveys and enriched information.

Conclusion
System-build schools are a legacy of a different era: built fast, with limited design life, and now ageing under conditions they were never intended to endure. While we welcome the DfE’s proactive research and its early indications of no widespread risk, without deeper structural surveys and enriched information, the Department and responsible bodies cannot guarantee that hidden risks are fully understood or mitigated. (Conclusion, Paragraph 57)
Government Response Summary
The department is committed to publishing findings from the Older Buildings Research and will publish a summary of a technical findings and outline the steps we will take to address them.
Government Response Accepted in Part
HM Government Accepted in Part
Recommendation: Partially accepted The department is committed to publishing findings from the Older Buildings Research. We anticipate receiving technical findings in Spring 2026 and will assess how these can support delivery of the Education Estates Strategy. Before the summer we will publish a summary of a technical findings and outline the steps we will take to address them.