Commenting on the Department for Education announcement on
renovation projects for 239 more schools and sixth forms, and
further detail on school funding allocations next year, Geoff
Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and
College Leaders, said:
“While we welcome the announcement of a further wave of school
renovation projects, this comes against a background of long-term
government neglect which has led to the deterioration of many
school buildings.
“The government’s own school conditions survey published last
year showed that it would cost £11.4 billion to repair or replace
all defective elements in the school estate.
“This unacceptable backlog means schools often have to teach
children in sub-standard premises.
“The situation is not helped by a convoluted funding system in
which many schools have to bid for grants simply to finance work
which is required for basic safety requirements.
“The further detail on next year’s school funding allocation is
helpful, but these uplifts do not help schools afford the soaring
costs that are hitting them now, and are unlikely to be
sufficient to cover future costs either.
“In particular, special educational needs provision is under huge
pressure. The number of children who need support has been rising
for several years, and the mechanisms for getting money to the
front line are complex, burdensome and bureaucratic.
“The system is in crisis and much more investment and urgency
over system reform are needed.
“It also needs to be understood that the Autumn Statement
contained no additional funding for colleges and sixth forms at
all despite them also facing steeply rising costs.
“This is the sector that is vital to delivering the skills
revolution proclaimed by the government, but ministerial rhetoric
is not matched by the woefully insufficient level of investment
in post-16 education.”
