The condition of school buildings

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 24 May 2023 Closed: 8 Mar 2024 Parliament page
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, … Read more
2 Recommendations
40 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
2 Letters
1 Event
Activity timeline 6 events
8 Mar
2024
Report published
26 Feb
2024
Correspondence
19 Nov
2023
Report published
19 Sep
2023
Correspondence
13 Jul
2023
Oral evidence
13 Jul
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
13 Jul 2023
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The condition of school buildings
Jane Balderstone · Department for Education Jane Cunliffe · Department for Education Susan Acland-Hood · The Department for Education
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Second Report - The condition of school buildings HC 78 19 Nov 2023 42 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
42 results
2 Conclusion Accepted in Part
Second Report - The condition of s…
Clarify DfE's school estate safety risk appetite and publish its RAAC eradication plan.
DfE’s risk appetite regarding the school estate, and how this aligns with its recent approach on RAAC, appears unclear. Since summer 2021, DfE has recognised a significant safety risk across the school estate. In spring 2023, it continued to assess … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepted, agreeing to clarify risk appetite with risks owned at Director General level, but did not commit to a clear timeline or financial plan for eradicating RAAC, stating technical advice does not recommend removal in all cases.
HM Treasury
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3 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
Re-examine DfE's funding process for temporary RAAC mitigation, ensuring accessibility and value for money.
Schools are uncertain about the support they can access to mitigate RAAC-related issues, and how they will be reimbursed financially. The temporary classrooms that DfE is providing will generally be for those schools that were known to be affected by … Read more
Government Response
The government accepted the recommendation, stating it funds emergency capital works and reasonable revenue costs for RAAC mitigation, provides dedicated caseworkers, and keeps processes under review to ensure accessibility and value for money.
HM Treasury
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4 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
Require DfE to provide a detailed assessment of the RAAC problem, plan, and associated costs.
There remains a lack of transparency for schools, parents and communities on where RAAC exists and how long it will take to be fixed. DfE was unable to provide answers to important questions such as how many specialist surveys to … Read more
Government Response
The government accepted the recommendation and committed to writing to the Committee alongside the Treasury Minute publication with an assessment of the RAAC problem, its plan, and associated costs.
HM Treasury
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5 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
Require DfE to demonstrate a full picture of asbestos and adequate management plans in all schools.
DfE has incomplete knowledge of the prevalence of asbestos across the school estate. In May 2022, DfE agreed with our recommendation that it should urgently chase the 7% of schools that had not responded to the asbestos management survey it … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the recommendation, stating the ongoing Condition Data Collection 2 (CDC2) programme will collect full asbestos data and review management plans by December 2026. This programme has already reduced non-responders to 3.9% and aims for a full dataset by 2026.
HM Treasury
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6 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
Develop a support package and good practice guidance for schools in poor condition.
Unacceptable numbers of pupils are learning in poorly maintained or potentially unsafe buildings. The quality of school buildings has an impact on pupils’ learning experience, and ultimately on attainment levels and teacher retention. An estimated 700,000 pupils attend the 1,200 … Read more
Government Response
The government claims the recommendation is implemented, highlighting existing extensive guidance and support such as the Good Estate Management for Schools manual and the Capital Advisers Programme. It states it keeps its guidance under review but does not commit to developing a new package of support within the next year.
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7 Recommendation Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
Establish a strategy for timely school repairs and reconsider fire safety value for money analysis.
DfE has focused on reactive measures addressing immediate building concerns that often fail to take account of longer-term value for money considerations. DfE has committed to providing funding for all schools that face critical and immediate safety risks but are … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the recommendation and aims for implementation by February 2025. It states it is considering how to further clarify roles and support responsible bodies in managing estates effectively for the long-term, building on existing guidance and programmes. The response does not explicitly address reconsidering value for money analysis on fire safety measures.
HM Treasury
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8 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
Require DfE to provide assurance on School Rebuilding Programme timetable, costs, and scenario planning.
The School Rebuilding Programme is behind its initial schedule for getting contracts in place and schools built. DfE announced the School Rebuilding Programme in June 2020. By March 2023, it had delivered one project compared with a forecast four, and … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees and aims for implementation by December 2024, stating the School Rebuilding Programme robustly manages risks through continuous monitoring and regular IPA gateway reviews. It highlights that the NAO noted steps already taken to address delays and that overall progress is on track.
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9 Recommendation Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
Review DfE guidance, support, and funding to improve school building condition and estate management.
There is considerable variation across the school estate, including regional disparity in the condition of school buildings and differences in school types and governance models, which will influence the type of support DfE needs to provide. The map of school … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the recommendation and aims for implementation by March 2025. It confirms it keeps its capital funding, guidance, and support under review, with data from Condition Data Collection 2 (CDC2) informing potential changes to the allocation methodology for 2025-26.
HM Treasury
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10 Conclusion Not Addressed
Second Report - The condition of s…
Consider supporting local authorities to ensure high-quality places when reducing local school provision.
It is unclear whether decisions concerned with addressing the condition of the estate are coordinated with those relating to the need for school places. Historically, there have been instances of school closures just before another demographic wave of children that … Read more
Government Response
The government response addresses unrelated conclusions and recommendations from the Public Accounts Committee regarding the Health Transformation Programme and disability benefits, failing to address the recommendation concerning school places and estate management by the DfE.
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1 Conclusion
Second Report - The condition of s…
DfE significantly changed safety guidance for RAAC-affected schools in August 2023.
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we first took evidence from the Department for Education (DfE) about the condition of school buildings in England in July 2023.1 On 31 August 2023, DfE significantly changed … Read more
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11 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
Schools awaiting specialist surveys for suspected RAAC face prolonged uncertainty regarding building safety.
The schools that have recently responded to DfE’s questionnaire saying they believe RAAC is present in their buildings are likely to be waiting a number of weeks for this to be confirmed by a specialist survey.19 DfE’s guidance for these … Read more
Government Response
The government states the RAAC identification programme is complete, with all suspected cases surveyed and a final list of confirmed cases published on 8 February 2024, indicating that schools are no longer waiting for surveys.
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12 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
DfE lacks proactive funding commitments or eradication targets for RAAC in schools.
DHSC is providing £685 million of funding, to the end of 2025, to mitigate RAAC in hospitals. It has also committed to eradicating RAAC across the NHS estate by 2035.21 DfE has not proactively set out funding commitments or eradication … Read more
Government Response
The government states that it has committed to permanently remove RAAC from the school estate and confirmed how it will fund schools for this on 8 February 2024, through grants or the School Rebuilding Programme. This directly addresses the committee's observation that DfE had not proactively set out funding commitments.
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13 Conclusion Acknowledged
Second Report - The condition of s…
DfE unable to report total number of temporary RAAC classrooms supplied to schools
We asked DfE about the temporary classrooms it was providing for schools unable to use some of their space because of RAAC. It told us that it had three central contracts in place to supply temporary classrooms, but in general … Read more
Government Response
The government states it is funding emergency capital works, including temporary buildings, and provides dedicated support to schools with confirmed RAAC to ensure face-to-face education. However, it does not provide the specific number of temporary classrooms supplied, which the committee noted DfE could not previously provide.
HM Treasury
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14 Conclusion Acknowledged
Second Report - The condition of s…
DfE's central temporary classroom contracts proving ineffective for some responsible bodies
DfE explained that it hoped to use the central contracts to enable speedier delivery of temporary classrooms to all RAAC-affected schools who needed them, and to pay for them centrally—including for specialist equipment within the classroom where 17 September 2023 … Read more
Government Response
The government states it is funding emergency works, including temporary buildings, and has assigned caseworkers to support schools with bespoke plans. It highlights efforts to process requests quickly, ensure processes are not burdensome, and arrange urgent payments, implying improvements to the support system.
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15 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
DfE outlining reimbursement process for schools' RAAC-related costs and surveys
DfE told us that, where a school hires portable classrooms, this counts as revenue expenditure. In this case, DfE checks that the expenditure is reasonable and the school does not have high levels of reserves from which it should be … Read more
Government Response
The government reiterates its policy of funding emergency capital works and approving all reasonable requests for revenue costs, such as temporary buildings or transport. It emphasizes streamlining processes, working closely with schools, and providing urgent payments when necessary, aligning with its commitment to meet reasonable costs with generosity.
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16 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
Caseworker support for RAAC-affected schools facing operational effectiveness issues
DfE told us that it assigned a caseworker to each school affected by RAAC. Schools can liaise with their caseworker about buildings, finances or educational matters.28 However, we challenged DfE with evidence that the system was not working perfectly. For … Read more
Government Response
The government states it is already funding emergency RAAC works, approving revenue cost requests, providing dedicated caseworker support to schools for bespoke plans and funding access, and has committed to permanently removing RAAC through grants or rebuilding programmes.
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17 Conclusion Acknowledged
Second Report - The condition of s…
DfE lacks specific figures on RAAC impact, hindering timely public transparency
We asked DfE some questions intended to shed light on the latest position with RAAC at the time of our evidence session on 11 September, such as the number of pupils who were unable to start the school year as … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the observation but commits only to writing to the Committee alongside the publication of the Treasury Minute, without specifying a strategy for regular public information on RAAC.
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18 Conclusion Acknowledged
Second Report - The condition of s…
Number of RAAC-affected educational settings continues to increase across the estate
On 19 September, the Secretary of State issued an updated statement on RAAC. It detailed that: DfE had received questionnaire responses in relation to 98.6% of schools with blocks built in the target era; every school that was awaiting a … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the observation but commits only to writing to the Committee alongside the publication of the Treasury Minute, without offering further specific updates or actions.
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19 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
DfE expects RAAC issues to resolve within weeks, with variable timeframes for complex cases
We asked DfE about when all RAAC-related issues on the school estate might be resolved, given that members of the government had talked in early September about the timeframe being a matter of weeks. DfE expressed confidence that it would … Read more
Government Response
The government states that the RAAC identification programme is complete, a final list of 234 affected settings was published on 8 February 2024, and funding for permanent RAAC removal will be provided through the School Rebuilding Programme for 119 schools and grant funding for 110 schools.
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20 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
DfE previously agreed to urgently chase non-responsive schools on asbestos survey
In March 2022, we noted that we had previously found DfE did not have a complete picture of asbestos in school buildings, or enough information to ensure that the risks were being properly managed. We concluded that DfE appeared unconcerned … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation, stating the AMAP survey is now part of the Condition Data Collection 2 (CDC2) programme. As of January 2024, 631 non-responding schools have been visited, and the full dataset for all schools will be available by the target implementation date of December 2026.
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21 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
DfE remains unsighted on asbestos status in 4.4% of schools nationwide
DfE told us that its second Condition Data Collection programme (CDC2), which had covered around 40% of schools so far, allowed it to prioritise schools that had not responded to the asbestos survey. As a result, DfE remained unsighted on … Read more
Government Response
The government details its ongoing Condition Data Collection 2 (CDC2) programme, which has visited 631 non-responding schools as of January 2024 to collect asbestos data, with the full dataset expected by December 2026.
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22 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
Asbestos risk higher in schools due to shared occupancy; oversight concerns raised
In its written submission, NAHT (the school leadership union) emphasised that shared occupancy of school buildings by adults and young people can lead to a higher risk of asbestos disturbance than in other workplaces, and that even normal school activities … Read more
Government Response
The government outlines its ongoing approach to asbestos management through legal duties, HSE regulation, published guidance, and the Condition Data Collection 2 (CDC2) programme, which is collecting data from state-funded schools and is expected to be completed by 2026. It doesn't specifically address the concern about CDC2's detail compared to previous surveys.
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23 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
DfE policy for asbestos management in schools risks hidden dangers during RAAC works
DfE confirmed that its policy is not to remove all asbestos in the school estate, as this would be expensive and dangerous. However, we raised with DfE a case where a school thought it knew where it had asbestos, but … Read more
Government Response
The government reaffirms its policy for responsible bodies to manage asbestos safely in situ when possible, guided by HSE regulations and departmental guidance, and continues to gather comprehensive data on asbestos through the CDC2 programme, expected to complete by 2026.
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24 Conclusion
Second Report - The condition of s…
Teacher deaths from asbestos-related mesothelioma are rising, linked to historic exposure levels
We asked about the information DfE holds on the number of teaching staff who have died from asbestos-related conditions. DfE explained that the Health and Safety Executive reviews death certificates to produce data on the last known profession of people … Read more
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25 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
Poor school building conditions severely undermine pupil attainment and teacher retention
DfE believes that poor quality school buildings have a negative impact in important ways, including by reducing pupil attainment levels and teacher retention. Stakeholders across the sector also emphasise how buildings being too hot or cold, insufficient ventilation, and disruption … Read more
Government Response
The government states that responsible bodies are accountable for safe buildings, and it provides case-by-case support for serious issues. It has allocated over £15 billion since 2015 for school estate improvement, including the School Rebuilding Programme, and provides extensive guidance and support to the sector.
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26 Conclusion Rejected
Second Report - The condition of s…
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, … Read more
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.
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27 Conclusion
Second Report - The condition of s…
Nearly 6,000 temporary and mobile blocks included in the school estate building count
We asked DfE whether the 64,000 buildings on the school estate include temporary buildings, Portakabins and similar blocks. It replied that the first Condition Data Collection programme (CDC1), from which the total number of buildings was derived, did include such … Read more
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28 Conclusion Not Addressed
Second Report - The condition of s…
Significant number of school building components in unsatisfactory condition (grades C and D)
DfE told us that its CDC1 programme involved giving a ‘grade’ to every building component within each school. There were four available grades, from A to D, with grades C and D denoting a less than satisfactory condition. DfE explained … Read more
Government Response
The government response provides statistics on the school estate's condition and states that CDC2 is underway to provide updated data, but does not address the committee's concerns about prioritisation decisions or the risk of considering only known issues.
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29 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
DfE prioritises immediate action and funding for urgent school building safety issues
DfE told us that its overarching principle is to act immediately if a building-related issue is putting pupils or teachers in danger but the school is unable to manage the issue itself. The issue might relate to asbestos, or more … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the committee's statement and clarifies that it already takes immediate action on serious building safety issues, with support for responsible bodies, and demonstrated this with its response to RAAC risks.
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30 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
HM Treasury funds significantly fewer school rebuilds than DfE recommended annually
In its Spending Review 2020 case, DfE recommended capital funding for the major rebuilding and refurbishment of around 200 schools each year. HM Treasury subsequently agreed to fund a 10-year programme to rebuild 50 schools per year, at an average … Read more
Government Response
The government states it robustly assesses nominations for the School Rebuilding Programme based on greatest need and exceptional issues, confirming that the programme now includes over 500 schools, including those with RAAC, and that 400 schools were selected ahead of schedule.
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31 Conclusion Acknowledged
Second Report - The condition of s…
Funding constraints prevent rebuilding non-hazardous schools, despite better long-term value for money
We asked DfE about longer-term risks to value for money. It described a set of schools that pose no safety risks and can be maintained to a reasonable condition. However, when considering the work needed to keep these schools in … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the committee's observation and, while citing existing guidance and support for estate management, states it is considering how to further clarify roles and support responsible bodies to manage estates effectively for the long-term, with a target implementation date of February 2025.
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32 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
New and refurbished schools continue to lack sprinkler systems despite safety expectations
In written evidence, the London Fire Brigade expressed concern that many schools are continuing to be built, or are undergoing major refurbishment, without automatic fire suppression systems (such as sprinklers), contrary to the ‘expectation’ set out in Building Bulletin 100: … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees to the recommendation, stating it continues to engage with the Government Actuary Department to review fire data and the impact of sprinklers, and will include a response in the new Fire Safety guidance (BB100) expected by September 2024.
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33 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
School Rebuilding Programme severely behind schedule on contracts awarded and projects completed.
DfE announced the School Rebuilding Programme in June 2020. As at March 2023, it had awarded 24 contracts, well below its August 2021 forecast of 83, with one project completed compared with its forecast of four. In addition, DfE was … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the committee's observation, attributes past delays in contract awards to unforeseen global events, and states it has already taken steps to address these issues, with the programme now on track to deliver as planned and projects progressing faster than expected.
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34 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
Inflationary pressures significantly delayed School Rebuilding Programme contract agreements and project delivery.
DfE told us that in its building programmes, and particularly the School Rebuilding Programme, it had taken longer to agree contracts because of inflationary pressures in the building industry.54 DfE explained that it had responded by amending its funding policies, … Read more
Government Response
The government states it has already taken steps to address delays caused by inflationary pressures, including changing project funding policy, and is now seeing a more stable position with overall progress on track and projects being delivered faster than expected.
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35 Conclusion
Second Report - The condition of s…
External factors like inflation and supply chain issues significantly complicate project cost and timelines.
We have previously examined how external factors, such as inflation and higher price levels, can affect the cost schedule of projects and also the timeframes involved. We have seen how inflation can be largely driven by supply chain issues, meaning … Read more
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36 Conclusion Deferred
Second Report - The condition of s…
Significant geographical disparities persist in school building conditions across England, impacting deprived areas.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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.
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37 Conclusion
Second Report - The condition of s…
Many high-need schools failed to apply for rebuilding funds due to capacity or awareness issues.
DfE analysed the 1,000 schools with the highest level of need in terms of the condition of their buildings, and found that in 345 cases the responsible body did not make an application for the School Rebuilding Programme. In 2021, … Read more
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38 Conclusion
Second Report - The condition of s…
Direct funding for multi-academy trusts to dioceses could improve strategic estate management.
In its written submission, the Catholic Education Service argued that multi-academy trust funding for school buildings should be given directly to dioceses, to replicate the economies of scale and scope for longer-term strategic interventions that have been achieved with voluntary-aided … Read more
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39 Conclusion
Second Report - The condition of s…
Smaller local authorities currently lack specific DfE capital support for school estate management.
We noted that there is a diminishing number of schools under local authority control, and that, given their number of schools, 10 local authorities would not reach the threshold to receive maintenance and repair funding directly if they were a … Read more
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40 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
Decisions on school closures and building conditions lack sufficient coordination across authorities.
We expressed concern about whether decisions relating to falling school rolls and improving the condition of schools are sufficiently joined-up across different local authorities and trusts. Historically, there have been school closures due to falling rolls, followed soon after by … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the committee's concern and states that local authorities already have a statutory duty for school places and manage demand, while also highlighting the provision of revenue funding through the Dedicated Schools Grant, which now includes specific allocations and greater flexibilities for managing falling rolls and reducing surplus places.
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41 Conclusion Not Addressed
Second Report - The condition of s…
DfE regional directors currently play limited role in local school closure decisions.
For maintained schools, the lead decision-maker about educational provision and the upkeep of buildings is the local authority, which retains responsibility for sufficiency of school places. DfE told us that its regional directors do not typically play a strong role … Read more
Government Response
The government reiterates that local authorities have the statutory duty for school places and manage demand, with recent changes to Dedicated Schools Grant providing flexibility for falling rolls, but the response does not address DfE regional directors' roles or the exploration of alternative uses for school space.
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42 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - The condition of s…
DfE considers future pupil numbers when selecting schools for rebuilding programmes.
DfE reassured us that, when selecting schools for the School Rebuilding Programme, it considers the likely future pattern of pupil numbers, to avoid prioritising schools that are struggling to attract pupils and therefore do not warrant a full rebuild.65 It … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the committee's observation, stating that local authorities already consider pupil numbers and forecast demand when planning school places, supported by existing funding and new flexibilities through the Dedicated Schools Grant.
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Government Response AI assessment · 35 of 2 classified
Accepted 24
Accepted in Part 1
Acknowledged 5
Deferred 1
Not Addressed 3
Rejected 1
Total 2 recs + 40 conclusions
Correspondence 2 letters
26 Feb 2024 Correspondence from Susan Acland-Hood, Permanent Secretary, Department for Education, re The condition of school buildings, dated 16 February 2024
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19 Sep 2023 Correspondence from Susan Acland-Hood, Permanent Secretary, Department for Education, re Condition of School Buildings, dated 7 September 2023
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