The first wave of the Prime Minister’s ten-year rebuilding programme has been unveiled with the first 50 projects supported by £1billion in funding.
The schools include primary, secondary and specials as well as a sixth form college in West Yorkshire, with more than 70 per cent of the schools in the North and Midlands.
The initial rebuilds and refurbishments will create modern education environments, providing new facilities from classrooms and science labs, to sports halls and dining rooms. The schools will also be greener, helping meet the Government’s net zero target.
More than £10 million will also be invested to support school sports and swimming facilities in England, and will be distributed through Sport England.
RIBA President Alan Jones said: “Well-designed schools have the power to shape society – improving the attainment, behaviour, health and wellbeing of every child.
“As the government’s ten-year rebuilding programme gets underway, it is crucial to focus on the delivery of good quality design, sustainability and safety.
“To ensure the best outcomes for students, teachers and the taxpayer, the government must commit to monitoring the performance of the new buildings once they are in use through Post Occupancy Evaluation – and use these findings to ensure each project is better than the last.
“Furthermore, vital safety measures including the installation of sprinklers must also be prioritised in the design of new and maintenance of existing school buildings. Alongside the CIOB, RICS and NFCC, the RIBA is continuing to call for this to be mandated.
“This is a critical opportunity to have a transformative impact on the lives of future generations – the government must get it right.”
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said the rebuilding projects are the start of a major ten-year programme, transforming hundreds of schools and improving the education of tens of thousands of children. “Alongside this, over 15,500 children will now benefit from 21 new free schools across the country as we look to build back better after the pandemic,” he added.
The investment of over £1 billion to support the first round of the School Rebuilding Programme comes on top of the Government’s commitment to allocate £1.8 billion for school repair and upgrade projects over this coming year. The department also plans to consult this year to gather views on how schools are prioritised for future rounds of the long-term programme.
